


A Clash of Covens

by EdwardsMate4ever



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Abduction, Canon-Typical Violence, Danger, Fake Science, Gen, Intrigue, Jakeward, M/M, Male Slash, Original Character(s), POV Alternating, Power Play, Volturi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-09
Updated: 2014-01-24
Packaged: 2017-12-28 22:19:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 33,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/997584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EdwardsMate4ever/pseuds/EdwardsMate4ever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Discord is brewing between the two most powerful covens in the world. Who will come out on top? A continuation of The Consequence of Heat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is a continuation of my story, The Consequence of Heat. If you have not read that first, this story will not make sense to you. This prologue is in third person, but the rest of the story will be in various first person points of view. Let it be known that my amazing betas, harrytwifan and remylebeauishot, continue to aid me on this story.

**A Clash of Covens**

**1\. Prologue**

Jane, Caius and Marcus were in the library, arguing over their next move in the vengeance of the deaths of their coven members. Jane wanted to act quickly, taking down those who murdered her brother. Caius was also out for blood, so to speak, having lost his friend, Felix, and the eye-candy that was Chelsea, whom Caius had enjoyed ogling. But he enjoyed games of cat and mouse, so he was more willing to prolong the eventual demise of their foes, the Cullen coven.

Nobody missed the arrogance of Aro, who had taken the leadership role upon himself. Caius and Marcus had resented that for centuries, but they were powerless to stop him, as Aro had possessed the most useful ability of the three.

Being mate-less, Marcus had taken it upon himself to comfort Aro's widow, Sulpicia, during her lonely nights. After centuries of celibacy, Marcus had become rejuvenated. Sulpicia had let it slip after one evening of love-making that Aro had been the one who murdered Marcus' wife, Didyme, so any feelings of guilt he may have harbored were quickly washed away.

Here in the library, Marcus had taken the lead, being the most rational of the three.

"For now, we must pretend as though we know nothing," Marcus concluded.

Enraged, Jane rose from her seat and began to pace. "Pretend nothing has happened?! Alec is dead! _Aro_ is dead! Those responsible must be brought to justice!"

"Peace, Jane," Marcus placated her. "They will be expecting us to come now. Our retaliation must be carefully planned. We cannot just swoop in and murder vampires without all of the facts. We do wish to continue our rule, do we not? Remember, we have lost some powerful assets: two strong-arms, a mind-reader, a sensory depriver, and a bond forger. The Cullens are the more formidable coven now, in terms of abilities. Our strategy must be airtight if we wish to continue our reign."

Jane huffed and crossed her arms, but she did not protest.

It was Caius' turn for a rebuttal. "You think our kind won't notice the absence of their leader?" he asked pointedly.

Marcus shook his head. "No, Caius. We have been known to lie low for decades at a time. No one will find a few years of quiet unusual."

"But, the Cullens know he is gone. We must dispose of them before they start an uprising," Caius continued.

Marcus sighed, annoyed. They had already been over this. "The Cullens have made no move toward dominance over our kind. That is not Carlisle's desire."

"It is only a matter of time," Caius muttered.

Jane had been silent long enough. "For how long will we allow them to continue to live freely?"

"For as long as it takes. It is better this way, my dear. Just think—what would Aro do? They expect us to retaliate now. If we wait, they will become complacent. It will be much easier to make them pay."

Caius and Jane shared a sinister smirk. Marcus grinned, satisfied that they had been sufficiently convinced. They would lie in wait...for now.


	2. Family Ties

**Chapter 1 - Family Ties**

**Three years later**

**Edward POV**

In the living room of the main house, Rosalie, Tanya and Alice joined Anthony and I. They were mostly chatting about fashion, so I tuned them out and listened to my son's thoughts. He was currently hiding with a box of crayons behind the couch where I sat, drawing a picture that he didn't want me to see until it was done. I obliged, of course, dutifully ignoring his presence. It would've been a nice distraction if the girls had been talking about something interesting, but since they weren't, I let my mind wander.

After the birth of Anthony, my family had been, in equal parts, both overjoyed to have a child amongst us, and nervous about retaliation from the Volturi. With Jake, Anthony and I living in the cottage that Esme had built us, Alice had discovered that she was able to see glimpses of the future. She kept an eye out for any Volturi movements, but after one year passed with nothing significant, she stopped looking so diligently. Now, three years on, we had all breathed a tentative sigh of relief, allowing ourselves to focus more on just being a family. Although, the possible threat still lingered in the back of my mind; I couldn't allow myself to forget completely—I had to always be prepared to protect my son from harm.

Our cousins from Alaska, the Denalis, were frequent visitors and close friends. They were currently visiting our home and had been here for a few weeks. Irina and Kate doted on Anthony, perhaps hoping he might mate with one of them someday. I knew for a fact that the succubi hoped to find a future mate in my son. Of course, Leah would never allow that, but what she didn't know wouldn't hurt her. I was the only one who knew, besides the two women themselves, as was often the case in my experience. Anyway, they both silently worried how I felt about it, realizing that I knew of their intentions. But I didn't mind; let Anthony have the choice of whom to love in that way. He would always keep Leah close in some capacity, but it didn't have to be as lovers. Though, that _is_ what she eventually wanted, and I was certain that she would try to woo him in the future. At present, however, she considered herself his best friend—thoughts of their possible future together were rare and fleeting. But when she slept, Leah often dreamed about being his wife.

Tanya became like another aunt to my son, mirroring the way Rosalie behaved with him. At first, she used Rosalie as a guide; Tanya hadn't been around a child for many centuries and had no idea how to act. But after seeing Rosalie's soft side, which was something _none of us_ had ever seen in all the time we'd known her, Tanya began to embrace being motherly toward my little boy, and she took to it "like white on rice," as Jacob liked to say.

Carmen behaved like your typical caricature of an overly affectionate Latino mother, reminding me a lot of Sophia Vergara in _Modern Family_. Anthony ate it up; he loved being smothered with kisses, and he got a kick out of her accent. Eleazar mainly hung back, more interested in catching up and reminiscing about their time in Volterra with his old friend Carlisle up in his study.

That was fine with me—the Volturi might still come after us one day, and sometimes, Eleazar and Carlisle discussed strategies, just in case. It helped alleviate the burden of that nagging fear that something might go wrong. Even after three years with no apparent action, I still had lingering anxiety. While a few of my family members had chosen to put it all behind them, most of us couldn't quite let it go.

Carlisle hadn't gotten over the fact that he had killed Aro—having never killed another vampire in his long existence, it was a painful memory that he couldn't seem to hurdle—and he was certain that the remaining Volturi wouldn't just let the death of their leader slide by unavenged. Jasper agreed wholeheartedly, convinced that they were merely biding their time. Alice was on alert for any possible activities, so she couldn't completely bury the notion, although she wished she could. And Rosalie worried over the safety of Anthony, so she was also on her guard.

Esme just wanted everyone to be happy and enjoy life, and she put a lot of effort into pretending that there was no looming threat. While sometimes she got on my nerves, on the whole, her effort was strangely soothing. Emmett had always been a carefree spirit, an optimist. He figured that just because Aro and the others didn't return to Volterra, the others wouldn't immediately conclude that they were dead by our hands. There were any number of things that could have gone wrong for them on their way to Washington. Emmett had faith in man's ability to be rational, which was high thinking for Emmett, if not entirely misplaced.

And Jacob, my Jake, he handled the pressure of the threat best of all. His wolf was constantly on alert for any new vampire scents in the area. But his human side was the same as always, fun-loving and as devoted to his son as he was to me. He was a loving father who truly never minded when his son would endlessly ask him "why?" In fact, he thought it was cute, and he was proud that Anthony was so inquisitive for his age. Jacob was born to be a father; he could sing Old McDonald Had a Farm in its entirety countless times without getting annoyed, he was always up for a piggy-back ride, or a tickle war, or just a good old-fashioned snuggle on the couch. Jake was usually Anthony's choice at bedtime, because he always used amusing voices to read Anthony's bedtime stories.

While Anthony looked like he was about ten years old, he was only three years of age mentally—a toddler in a fourth grader's body—his mind not maturing at the same rate his body did. Our son took after Jacob in his humanity; his body functioned as though he were fully human. It seemed that all I contributed were Anthony's green eyes, skin that was tough to penetrate, and some kind of rapid bodily growth gene. Carlisle reassured me that since he had two immortals as parents, it was more than likely that he would stop aging when he reached adulthood. However, that didn't mean he would be ready to use his body as an adult would. By the time he reached eighteen, his mind would only be eleven or twelve—thirteen if we were lucky. For the millionth time, I thanked God we had a boy and not a girl. I couldn't take the stress of a sexually active pre-teen daughter; it was a little easier to swallow and accept with a boy.

At that moment, Anthony came out from behind the couch with his latest artwork. Proudly, he held out the drawing, clutching the red construction paper in excitement, waving it for his aunts to see.

Rosalie, Tanya and Alice all cooed over it, praising his work.

"It's so beautiful!"

"It's a masterpiece!"

"We should hang it on the fridge!"

Smiling broadly, Anthony came running to where I sat, on the opposite couch from the girls. He scrambled up onto the couch beside me and crawled right into my lap, plopping his little butt on my thighs.

Holding up the picture up for me to see, he exclaimed, "Look, _I_ do!"

I studied it for a moment, furrowing my brow dramatically before looking him in the eye.

"Are you sure Papa didn't draw this?"

Anthony giggled and smacked my arm. "No, Daddy! _I_ do!"

"Oh my goodness, it's wonderful! Look at that wolf; it looks just like Papa. And that one looks like Lee-Lee." Anthony nodded emphatically. "They are going to love this. Why don't you go show it to them?"

With a big grin and one goal in mind, Anthony quickly scrambled down from my lap and rushed off toward the garage.

It was then that I noticed the girls staring at me.

"What?" I asked defensively. Alice started laughing inexplicably, which started Rosalie and Tanya giggling. I stared blankly at them; all of their thoughts were consumed by their laughter.

Tanya recovered quicker than the other two, and, through titters, asked, "You knew what Anthony drew?"

"It looked like a blob to me!" Alice guffawed.

"A beautiful blob," Rosalie insisted, "but still a blob."

"Hmph," I scoffed snootily. "Well, I suppose I just have a greater appreciation for art than you do."

* * *

**Jacob POV**

"Hey, Quil, hand me that wrench."

A hand appeared beneath the undercarriage of the car I was tinkering with, holding the tool I needed.

"Thanks, bro." I took the wrench, and Quil's hand disappeared as he went back to working under the hood with Embry.

Since my childhood friends had joined my pack after my separation from Sam, they had loyally followed me as their Alpha, risking their lives at my command. At first, they were a little nervous about the fact that I was gay, but as they got to know Edward, and they watched us interact with each other, they began to see that ours was like any other loving relationship. I didn't blame them for their initial ignorance; we had grown up pretty sheltered on the reservation. Honestly, knowing that I was the top in the relationship—the dominant one—helped them accept having a gay Alpha. What they didn't realize was that Edward's tight ass had me wrapped around his little finger. But, hey…baby steps. I think _that_ information would give them a heart attack, even after three years.

Seth and Leah were sitting on stools near the stereo, which was blaring Bon Jovi, talking about having dinner with their mom that evening. They were planning to surprise her by bringing a whole meal to her doorstep. I thought it was really sweet—they hadn't been home in weeks. Seth had initially come up with the plan, of course, being the caring guy that he was.

Seth was never concerned about the things that Quil and Embry wrestled with. Seth had always been an open-minded person, and he accepted Edward ever since we first got together. He even considered the vampire among his friends. Seth was definitely good people.

Suddenly, the scent of my son reached my nose, and I slid out from under the car so I could greet him. I dusted off my clothes and was just wiping my hands on a damp cloth when he burst through the door, clutching some red construction paper in his hands.

"Look, look! I do!" he cried, running up to me. The others gathered around so they could see what Anthony wanted to show me.

He proudly displayed a picture of me and Leah in our wolf forms. I met his hopeful gaze and flashed him a wide smile. "It's beautiful, buddy! It looks just like me!"

Satisfied with my answer, he looked to Leah, who bent down to grasp him in a bear hug.

"I love it! Thank you!" She pulled back, holding him at arm's length and smiled. "We should frame it!"

"Yay!" Anthony cried, clapping his hands.

Leah and Anthony went in search of a frame in Esme's expansive craft storage closet. Turning back toward the car, I was faced by three snickering wolves.

"What are you laughing at?"

Embry chortled. "You can't tell me you actually knew what that picture was of."

Quil and Seth looked at me skeptically. I rolled my eyes at them.

"Of course I know. It was a picture of Leah and me. _She_ knew—open your eyes next time!" I teased.


	3. The Vision

**Chapter 2 - The Vision**

**Jacob POV**

At dusk, Edward and I took Anthony to our meadow. We relaxed in the grass and wildflowers, enjoying the crisp autumn air, as our son happily chased fireflies through the expanse of the field.

We were quiet for a while, laughing occasionally at our little boy's antics. I began to notice that Edward's laughs seemed to be a bit forced. Looking over at him, his brow was furrowed, his eyes fixed on Anthony, but he wasn't really watching him. It occurred to me that he was laughing a few seconds after I did, taking cues from me. Something was bothering him.

_What's wrong, hun?_

Edward sighed as though he was disappointed that I had caught on to his distraction.

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about…you know."

I did know. Even after three years of inaction, Edward still worried that the Volturi would retaliate against us for killing their friends. Truthfully, the thought nagged at me sometimes too, but I tried to put it out of my mind. Surely, they would have done something by now if that was their plan.

"That's just it," Edward said, replying to my thought. "I feel like they want us to become complacent. Attack when we least expect it."

"Babe, you worry too much. I think Emmett is right—they can't be sure that we had anything to do with their disappearance."

"I just think they would have at least questioned us by now. I'm sure they knew the purpose of Aro's trip here."

"Yeah, but anything could have happened. Maybe they ran across some trouble on their way here. Or maybe they think their friends decided to form a coven of their own. There are a lot of possibilities; I don't think they would immediately jump to thinking that _we_ killed them. Especially knowing Carlisle. Who would suspect him?"

Edward nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Our attention was drawn by our son's high-pitched squeal. He had spotted a rabbit, and was now chasing it around the meadow, trying to catch it. Anthony was quick, and although the rabbit was giving him a run for his money, I had no doubt he would eventually capture it. While Anthony ate mainly human food, he still thirsted for blood on occasion, and would often hunt small game, first drinking the blood, and then eating the meat. Nothing went to waste when Anthony went on the prowl.

Edward beamed proudly when our son finally caught the rabbit, holding it up in triumph for us to see before digging in.

Edward's little crooked smile always got my blood pumping faster.

_God, what I wouldn't give to have those lips wrapped around my dick right now._

Edward swatted my arm, looking scandalized. "Jacob! Anthony's here," he whispered, scolding me.

"He's not paying attention." I did my best Elmer Fudd impression, "He's hunting wabbit..."

Edward chuckled. He rolled his eyes as I grabbed him by the leg and pulled him toward me, reeling him in for a kiss. As I deepened the kiss with my tongue, he lost himself in it, like he always did, and I started to paw at his back, trying to pull him impossibly closer.

Just as my wandering fingertips brushed over the top of his crack, which was peeking out of his waistband, Anthony cried out, "Get a room!"

Laughing, we broke apart as he approached us, his mouth and hands smeared with the rabbit's blood.

"And where did you learn to say that?" I asked him.

"Unca Emmit." Edward and I shared an exasperated look as Anthony continued. "You boys," he said pointedly, his hands on his hips. "Boys don't kiss."

Edward took the reins on that one. "That's not always true, baby. Your daddies kiss because we love each other very much. And that's perfectly okay."

"Will I kiss a boy one day?" our son queried, cocking his head to the side.

"A boy or a girl...whoever you want."

Anthony nodded, deep in thought. This was territory I didn't want Anthony to think too hard about at his age, so I surprised him with a tickle-fest. It was a perfect distraction, and soon, the three of us were all tickling each other, laughing and squealing, rolling around in the grass.

Suddenly, Edward stiffened and our joy was swiftly interrupted by the abrupt appearance of Alice.

"Hi, Auntie Al!" Anthony cried.

Alice acknowledged him with a tight smile, but her eyes were filled with fear as she looked furtively between Edward and me. When she spoke, her voice sounded distant, haunted.

"They have a plan."

I heard a gasp ring out in the quiet meadow. It took me a second to realize that I was the one who had made the sound. Swiftly, I struggled to control my concern in front of our son.

"What sort of plan?" I asked, trying to mask my nerves.

"The vision was blurry; I don't know exactly who it involves or how they intend to make it happen."

"Make _what_ happen?" I was getting frustrated now, not knowing what was going on.

Alice's eyes shifted towards Anthony, who was listening with interest. Following her gaze, I began to realize that their plan involved the safety of our son. My body started to tremble with rage.

Edward quickly turned to Anthony with a big smile and, in a chipper voice, said, "Anthony, you know what time it is? Time for Thomas the Tank Engine!"

Anthony squealed with joy and clapped his hands, before jumping to his feet and running toward the direction of the house. We were hot on his heels, not willing to let him out of our sight.

* * *

**Edward POV**

The whole run home, I couldn't get Alice's vision out of my head. It was very blurry, but one thing was quite clear:

_A pale white hand clamped over Anthony's mouth, his body struggling to break free._

As we approached the house, Carlisle was already outside waiting for us. Having been briefed about Alice's vision while she was retrieving us, Leah came out of the house and quickly ushered Anthony inside to watch Thomas and Friends with the pack, promising cookies that Esme had baked for them. They would protect him inside for the time being.

When they were gone inside the house, Carlisle looked at the three of us with wide eyes.

_I knew. I knew they would do something eventually. I just never expected it to involve the boy._

Jacob wasted no time in walking right up to Alice. He stood mere inches in front of her, pointing an angry finger. "Okay, what the fuck is going on?" Jacob demanded in a hushed tone.

Alice looked to me for help. I guess it was going to be up to me to break the bad news.

"Jake, don't be angry at Alice. She's only the messenger."

Reluctantly, he relaxed his stance and took a few steps back from her, turning to face me with his arms crossed over his chest.

I continued, framing what I'd seen as gently as I could. "Alice saw a vision of Anthony, with a hand covering his mouth. It was pale...the hand of a vampire. I think they intend to take him from us."

I avoided the word "kidnap," but it didn't do any good. A pained expression crossed his features as he clutched a hand to his chest.

"Oh my God..." he moaned.

Carlisle stepped forward. "It's going to be alright, Jacob. Anthony has a lot of protection here. Tonight, he'll sleep in Edward's old room, and we'll have a family meeting to start forming a strategy. But for now, let's put on a brave face, for Anthony's sake."

Jacob nodded, unable to speak. Wrapping my arms around his waist to support him, I led him inside, where we pretended that everything was all right until Anthony went to bed.

* * *

A few hours later, two covens of vampires and one wolf pack were packed tightly into the living room. Seventeen different mental voices screamed with worry, giving me a headache. They were all thinking the same thing: How were we going to protect Anthony, when we had no clear idea of how and when and _who_ would be doing the kidnapping?

Ideas were kicked around, but none of them stuck. Honestly, I could barely focus. Carlisle steered the conversation, with the Denalis, Emmett and Jasper participating the most in the verbal discussion. Carlisle and Eleazar contemplated calling some old contacts in Europe to keep an eye on Volturi activities, but they decided against it, unwilling to allow a friend to be caught and called a spy.

In the end, there were only theories and conjecture—nothing concrete. It was decided that we would have to be hyper-vigilant about Anthony, never allowing him to be alone without either a vampire or wolf by his side. Leah suggested that their small pack take up patrolling the grounds, which was unanimously agreed upon.

Having been silent for the entire evening, Quil spoke up during a lull in the discussion. "We've got to ask Sam to help."

Jacob let out a heavy sigh. "He'd never agree. He barely tolerates us as it is."

"Yes, his acceptance of Anthony is tenuous at best," I added.

As if on cue, Jacob's phone began to ring. He glanced at the caller ID briefly before bringing it up to his ear.

"Hey, Dad. What's up?" My wolf did a good job of sounding cheery.

With our superior hearing, the rest of the room had no trouble listening to both sides of their conversation.

"Great news, son. Paul asked Rachel to marry him!"

"Oh yeah? What did she say?" he asked, a hard edge to his tone. Jake was never very fond of Paul.

"Yes, of course, you rascal," Billy teased.

Jake sighed. "Guess Paul will officially be my brother now."

"Yes, you'd better get used to the idea. We're going to have a bonfire on Friday night to celebrate. You should come, but don't be a sourpuss, be supportive of your sister. You can bring Edward, too; I cleared it with the other Elders. Might be a bit late to bring the baby, though."

It was Wednesday today. Two days until we could talk to Sam, face to face, and plead our case for his assistance.

"Okay, yeah. That sounds great," Jacob replied casually.

"Wonderful. Come to First Beach at around 7 o'clock, okay?"

"Okay, Dad. See you then."

As Jacob pressed the "end" button on his phone, his eyes met mine. We shared a knowing look, as the rest of the room's occupants echoed our thoughts: The perfect opportunity to approach Sam had just landed in our laps.


	4. The First Move

**Chapter 3 - The First Move**

**Wednesday evening**

**Caius POV**

It had taken years of careful planning, but the time for vengeance was nigh.

Knowing the Cullens had a seer in their ranks, we had to be extremely vigilant. We knew that Alice's ability only worked with vampires or humans that she had previously encountered, and she had met Marcus and me decades ago, when Aro had insisted on paying a visit to our old colleague, Carlisle. It was on that trip that we discovered the existence of the seer, the mind-reader and the emotional manipulator—all formidable members of Carlisle's precious so-called family.

Not long after Aro's death, we came to the conclusion that new vampires needed to be involved to skirt the seer issue and help us carry out our revenge. Marcus sought, and turned, a promising robotics engineer, as well as a gifted scientist, the first chance he got. Once they were past that first bloodthirsty year, Jane explained the situation and left them to devise a tool to aid in our retribution. She told them not to show us their results until the project was in effect, not wanting to allow the Cullens any chance at foresight.

Today, Wilhelm and Roberto had finally told us of their invention, which had already been implemented the day prior. Roberto had designed a swarm of robotic insects resembling mosquitoes. The bugs were programmed to hone in on the genetic makeup of vampires. Roberto had sealed the insects into a parcel that was sent to an unsuspecting human in Forks; someone who had ordered a shipment of grapes from a vineyard nearby. When said human opened the box, the swarm would emerge and set out to find their targets. The human would think it was merely an accident in the shipping department—an errant egg sac that hatched en route. That sort of thing happened all the time.

When the mosquitos found their targets, they would land on their skin and leave behind a tiny adhesive chip that contained a mind control pheromone designed by Wilhelm, which, when released via an on-site control panel, would compel the vampire to do our bidding. The chip also contained a camera, and the images would be streamed to screens in our control room. The bugs were programmed to return to Volterra after planting the chips on their targets.

The mind control pheromone could be individually activated from the control panel. With the help of the cameras, we would be able to watch their movements and choose the most effective vampire to carry out our plan.

It was a brilliant plan. Wilhelm and Roberto were immediately gifted with the dark robes of our inner circle, which they donned with great pride.

After the presentation of the invention and the robes, Marcus, Jane and I retired to the library to decide on an avenue to take with this creation. With the package scheduled to arrive sometime today, we needed to decide immediately. It wouldn't matter if the seer figured out our plan now, as it would already be in action. Still, we avoided the topic of the insects, and focused on the desired result.

Once we were alone, Jane clapped her hands, unable to contain her excitement. She looked very much like the little girl she always would be, finding joy in the pain of others. She was similar to myself in this way; I enjoyed the feeling of power I got when I watched stupid vampires grovel at my feet.

"A most brilliant plan, I must admit," Marcus said, as stoic as ever.

A wide grin spread across my face. "Now to consider what we should do with this advantage."

"We will be able to see and hear all that goes on in their home," Marcus offered.

"And we can make them do whatever we choose. We could have them kill each other!" Jane cried. She was getting a bit out of control, but I didn't mind. I liked where her mind was headed.

"We could," Marcus replied, stroking his chin.

"But that would deny us the opportunity to watch them squirm," I interjected. There was no way I was going to let them take each other out. Carlisle annoyed the hell out of me with his "morals." I wanted to be the one to end his life.

Jane agreed with me. "Yes, that would be much more fun."

We were silent for a time as we considered what we could do. I was considering a sneak attack. The insects had cameras, so we would see their whereabouts and learn their daily routines; we could easily infiltrate on their home turf and hopefully have the element of surprise. But no, that would take too much time. The seer would surely warn them as we traveled, and they could make an escape. Temporarily stymied, I let out a heavy sigh.

Jane began to laugh rather maniacally, pounding a fist on the antique table, causing it to splinter. Marcus frowned disapprovingly; the table was a favorite of his.

"I've got it!"

"And what is it?" I prompted.

"A perfect plan. Why did Aro go to Forks in the first place? To see if the rumors of the pregnant vampire were true. I think it is safe to say that they _were_. So, an eye for an eye." She sat back with her arms crossed, smiling smugly.

"Have them kill the child?" Marcus queried.

Jane rolled her eyes. "No. The mind control chips are individually activated. Activate the chip on the vampire that minds the child, and program said vampire to bring the child to us. The others are certain to follow."

I sucked in a sharp breath, shocked by her brilliance. A vengeful mind is a brilliant mind.

"Yes," I agreed. "Surely, they will flock to Volterra, to save their precious little freak child."

"All of them will come. Of that, I am certain." Jane grinned devilishly.

Marcus nodded. "I like it. Caius?"

"I love it."

Jane beamed with pride. It was then that we smelled Roberto rapidly approaching the library, and a moment later, his head was poking around the door.

"I apologize for interrupting, but the package has arrived."

I shared a devious smirk with my colleagues before we sped after Roberto, following him eagerly to the lab.

The screens in the control room only showed the inside of the box; deep red grapes and brown cardboard. But the voice of a woman could be heard, muffled through the cardboard, but obviously excited by the arrival of her grapes. There was a rustling as she opened the package, and suddenly, light poured in. In a swirl of motion, the bugs flew out of the box. The woman screamed as she was swarmed by the insects, her arms flailing about. It was quite comical. She rushed over to the window and, throwing it open in disgust, the bugs were freed.

We watched in rapt attention as the bugs zipped through the air in search of their vampire targets.

* * *

**Early Thursday, 2:30 a.m.**

**Alice POV**

In the wake of our all-night discussion, we all came to the conclusion that we ought to take it in turns to go hunting, so we would be sufficiently fed for a while and wouldn't have any distractions in the protection of Anthony. I felt so helpless, not being able to see who the kidnapper was, but found some satisfaction that, at the very least, we knew it would be a vampire. There were a lot of us—I felt confident that we could thwart the abductor's plan.

It was decided that the women would go now, Edward would feed later today ahead of the engagement party, and the men would go the following evening, while Edward and Jacob were in La Push.

Denali and Cullen women set out in a group, determined to find a herd quickly so we could return before much time had passed. None of us wanted to be gone too long; our nerves were too rattled to enjoy the thrill of the hunt tonight.

A herd was forthcoming, about twenty miles from home. The group was large, more than enough to sate us all—we were lucky. We descended on the unsuspecting animals, intent on drinking our fill. As my teeth tore into the neck of my second doe, a strange buzzing sound filled the air. Not pausing my feeding, I peered up through my eyelashes, trying to pinpoint the source of the unfamiliar sound.

And then I saw it. A swarm of insects were headed straight for us. They appeared to be mosquitoes. This wouldn't normally surprise me—mosquitoes fed on blood too, after all—but it was odd, because all life forms usually avoided vampires, insects included.

The bugs swept in, surrounding us; some even landed on our bodies. I felt one land on my back, and I shook it off, emitting a low growl in warning. The others followed my lead, and soon the swarm dissipated, sufficiently frightened off.

Wiping my blood-stained lips with the back of my hand, I rose from my kill to find the others doing the same. Our eyes met, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Well, that was weird," Rosalie retorted.

"Must have been a mentally retarded batch of mosquitoes," Kate said, the corner of her mouth tugging up into a small smirk.

"Or just seriously hungry. Hungry enough to throw caution to the wind," Tanya suggested.

Shrugging it off, we swiftly buried the evidence of our massacre before heading back home.


	5. The Engagement Party

**Chapter 4 - The Engagement Party**

**Friday evening**

**Jacob POV**

It was the big day; the day I was returning to the Rez for the first time since Anthony's birth. And for my sister's engagement to _Paul,_ of all people.

Edward chuckled as he straightened the lapels of his suit jacket in the mirror. My mate was looking rather sharp, as he always did. He smiled slightly and looked away, embarrassed. If he could blush, he would surely be now.

"Shut up," he whined, pouting.

Shooting him a smirk, I steered my thoughts elsewhere. I was nervous about meeting up with Sam. When Edward got pregnant, Sam had reviled us and sought to kill our baby. He changed his mind at the last second (mainly by Emily's urging, Edward told me later), and he and the pack had helped us when the Italian vampires attacked us. But that was the last I'd seen him. I'd gotten updates from my dad when he would visit, but I hadn't spoken to or seen Sam in three years. As Edward had said at the meeting two nights ago, our understanding was tenuous at best. I was sure Sam wouldn't appreciate seeing me today, especially when I was asking for his help again—asking him to put his pack at risk for the wellbeing of the very creature he'd originally wanted dead.

Edward strode over to me, looking concerned, and began to fidget with my shirt collar. "Well, he _did_ help kill a bunch of vampires whose 'family' is now out for revenge. He should feel a sort of obligation to help us now."

I nodded. "I'll be sure to mention that." Meeting his gaze, I thought, _I'm worried about you, too._

Edward's brow furrowed. "Worried about me? Why?"

"Oh, I don't know. They hate vampires, you especially? And Jared will definitely be there, and I know he's going to think mean things at you."

Grasping my shoulders emphatically, he said, "Don't worry. Rosalie thinks mean things about me all the time. I can handle it."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," I replied, pulling him in for a kiss.

We were rudely interrupted by the arrival of Embry. Of course, we had asked him to return from patrol to give us an update before we left, but that didn't make it any less annoying.

"Geez, guys, keep it in your pants for five seconds," Embry teased, his hands on his hips.

Edward pulled away first and shot the wolf a smile. It was infectious, and I found myself smiling, even though I kinda wanted to deck Embry right then.

"So? Anything?" I asked.

"We haven't sighted or scented any foreign vampires in the area. I think it's safe to say you're all clear to go."

I huffed, somewhat disappointed. Part of me just wanted to forget the whole thing. "Great."

"Don't wanna?" Embry queried.

I just shrugged. I didn't feel like explaining. Besides, Embry already knew how I felt about this trip—he'd seen it through the mental link on our last patrol.

"Well then. We should be going," Edward said, holding his hand out to me. I stepped forward and slid my hand in his, twining our fingers together.

_Let's do this thing._

* * *

Before we left, we made sure Anthony's aunts were up to the task of his safety while we were gone. I know it sounds sexist to say that I was worried that the men were going to be hunting while we were gone, but I was. I mean, I know that woman vampires are just as strong and fast as the men are. Leah isn't any less strong than the rest of the pack, for example. Even so, a part of me was relieved that my pack would continue to patrol the area tonight.

Arriving at the beach as dusk fell, there was little risk of Edward sparkling. At least that would make him less noticeable, although his pale white skin was enough to make him stick out like a sore thumb. Unfortunately, we were immediately greeted, if you can call it that, by Jared.

"I see you brought your parasitic lover to our little celebration of love," the asshole taunted, making my skin bristle.

Edward glared at him, murder in his eyes. He did not appreciate that little epithet. And damned if I was going to let Jared get away with calling him that, along with whatever other vitriol he was spewing in his head.

"Yeah, I did. Who the fuck else would I bring?"

Jared just stared at me with a stupid expression, so I continued. "I certainly don't want to spend my night hanging out with _you_ ," I said pointedly. Jared's eyes flashed at the insult. "Edward and I are a package deal now. Get used to it."

All Jared could do was shrug as he turned on his heel and walked off toward his buddy—and my soon-to-be brother-in-law—Paul. But not before returning Edward's heated glare.

As he retreated, I squeezed Edward's hand. _You okay?_

"Fine."

Holding onto Edward's hand tightly, I spotted my dad and my sister, and we started to make our way through the crowd to greet them.

Conversations stopped as we passed, heads turning to look at the pair of freaks that dared to show their faces on the Rez. A quick look around revealed that Sam was nowhere in sight; we'd have to seek him out later. Now was the time for pleasantries.

"Little bro!" Rachel cried, throwing her arms around me in a bear hug. "Long time, no see! Hey, Edward!" She greeted my mate like he was just a regular guy. That was why Rachel was always my favorite sister.

Edward and I congratulated her, and the four of us made small talk, pretending like I hadn't been gone for years. It was really refreshing, actually. I'd forgotten how much I used to love bonfires on the beach with my family and friends. Too bad most of these guys weren't my friends anymore.

Thankfully, Paul avoided us like the plague, preferring to hang out with Jared and a few others, although I did catch a few sidelong glances in our direction. Soon, Rachel was distracted by the arrival of some of her friends, so Edward and I broke off from their little group and made small talk with people we didn't know; people who didn't know _us_. I grabbed some food and we hung around, quietly watching the crowd around us get steadily more tipsy. But still, there was no sign of Sam.

Not long after, my father called for attention. Everyone gathered around the bonfire and listened to him give a heartwarming speech of congratulations. Edward gently nudged me with his elbow as my father was speaking, and tilted his chin slightly to the right, looking across the fire. He'd spotted Sam, looking reserved, with Emily by his side. He'd spotted us too, and he seemed uncomfortable that we were there, shifting on his feet. Emily met my gaze and gave me a smile and a tiny wave, which I returned.

Applause erupted around us—I guess my dad had finished. The crowd started to disperse, to grab more food and restart their conversations. I watched as Sam started walking away down the beach, pulling Emily along behind him.

"It's now or never," Edward said, and we started off behind them.

Sam sensed us following him, of course, but he continued to walk until we were a safe distance from the revelers. Then, he whirled around, his face drawn in annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

My responding tone was clipped. "We were invited. My sister got engaged, or hadn't you heard? Besides, I don't remember being exiled."

Sam huffed. "After all these years, I assumed you'd banished yourself."

"Well, I didn't. But it's not like I get a warm welcome when I show up, do I?"

Sam crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at Emily, who shook her head slightly and looked down at the ground. Sighing, he asked, "Why did you follow us? What do you want?"

Edward and I shared a quick glance, and he nodded at me, encouraging me to speak up. He squeezed my hand in a show of support as I started to speak.

"Remember when we killed those vamps in the clearing by the river?"

"How could I forget?"

"Well, it seems that their friends are out for revenge. Alice had a vision of Anthony getting kidnapped—" Emily let out a horrified gasp, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. "—but the kidnapper wasn't clear. She could only see a white hand. A vampire's hand."

"That's terrible," Sam conceded, looking deflated. "But what do you want me to do about it?"

"Help us. Tell the pack to be on guard for new vampires in the area. Maybe beef up patrols," I offered.

"These vampires drink human blood," Edward added. "They might even feed in the area."

Sam's brow furrowed. That was such a perfect way to get him to agree, by appealing to his wolf's sense of duty to humanity. _Good idea, babe._

There were a few moments of silence before Sam finally said, "Alright. I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," Edward replied reverently.

"Why don't you come meet Anthony tomorrow?" I asked, surprising myself. "Maybe then, you'll see he's just a regular little boy. A helpless child who needs all the help he can get."

"Yes, we will," Emily replied quickly and confidently, ignoring the sharp look Sam was giving her. "We'll come tomorrow at eleven."

"Sounds good," I said.

"We can't wait. Anthony loves having visitors," Edward added.

* * *

**Jane POV**

I'd spent two days watching the mundane activities of the Cullens, biding my time until the opportune moment arrived. It was Friday evening in Forks. The child's "parents" had left for the night, and all of the males had just gone out to hunt. The women hung around the living room, watching television, reading books, chattering about nothing. I was bored to tears.

The child looked up at the woman whose screen I'd been watching at the moment—a blond Scandinavian woman named Irina.

"Auntie 'Rina? Where my Thomas pillow?"

Her responding voice was disembodied, since I was watching through her camera. "I don't know, sweetie. Do you remember where you left it?"

The child looked up at her with wide, doe-eyes. If he weren't the prey, I might even think he was cute. "In home," he answered, frowning.

"At the cottage?"

The child nodded sadly. Irina shifted and the camera was now angled at Carlisle's caramel-haired mate.

Esme thought about it for a moment, then sighed. "Just don't let him out of your sight."

"Don't worry, I won't. We'll be back in fifteen minutes. Come on, Anthony. Let's get your Thomas pillow."

As the unsuspecting pair made their way deeper into the woods, I pressed the button to activate her mind-control chip.


	6. The Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 5 - The Calm Before the Storm**

**Edward POV**

As we left the party, I was feeling in a celebratory mood. Sam had reluctantly agreed to help us protect Anthony. I was sure that when he came to meet our son tomorrow, his reservations would melt away; no one could resist our sweet little boy. Judging from Jacob's thoughts, he felt the same way, and we got into the Rabbit, all smiles.

Jacob put the car in gear and started down the long, winding road leading out of the Rez. He was taking it slow, lost in his thoughts. They were scattered; one second he was thinking about Sam and the relief he felt that Anthony would be well-protected, the next he was thinking about his sister getting married to that cretin Paul. I didn't want to hear it anymore, so I decided to distract him.

His eyes focused on the road in front of him, he didn't have time to notice as I moved at vampire speed, leaning over the center console, unzipping his trousers and pulling his thick cock out of its confines. He gasped as the cool air hit his flaccid cock before it was engulfed in my mouth, the curly hairs at the base tickling my nose.

"Edward!" he yelped in surprise. "Do you want me to have an accident?"

His words didn't match his lusty thoughts, so I kept at it, feeling his cock filling quickly in my throat. It had been a few days since I'd blown him; we had been too concerned about Anthony to really think about sex. But now that we were both confident in his safety, our hormones were getting the better of us.

I suckled him desperately until he was at full mast, relishing the taste of him on my tongue. Bobbing up and down, I hollowed out my cheeks for better suction as my hand dipped between his legs to fondle his balls. His breath hitched, and he let out a long moan as I swallowed around him. Suddenly, the car veered off the road and he put it in park, no longer able to focus on driving.

Breathing harshly, his fingers threaded through my hair, gripping the roots roughly, guiding my speed the way he wanted it, his hips canting upward to fuck my face. My own neglected cock pressed uncomfortably against my zipper as I worked him, tugging gently on each of his balls in turn.

"Oh, Edward, so fucking good…gonna cum…" he moaned, just as his sack tightened and his hot cum erupted down my throat. I milked him for all he was worth, sucking him dry. His orgasm seemed to last forever; like I said, it had been a while—at least, for us. When he was spent, his body sagged against the seat, and I drew back, tucking him back into his pants with care. He gazed at me as he caught his breath, his eyes still dark with lust.

"Shit, Edward. That was amazing." _Now it's your turn._

Excited and nearly bursting for his mouth on me, I groaned and leaned back in my seat, palming myself briefly to relieve the pent-up pressure. He smiled at me, but he didn't do what I expected; instead, he put the car back in drive.

"Hey!" I exclaimed as he pulled off the side of the road. "I thought it was my turn!"

Jacob chuckled at my outburst, making me more annoyed. "Yeah, yeah, keep your pants on!" he said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye and flashing his blinding white smile at me. I pouted in reply, crossing my arms indignantly against my chest.

_Calm down, baby. What I want to do is not going to work in a car._

Sighing, I let some of my annoyance go. As much as I was desperate for his attention, I was excited to see what he had planned for me. I hoped it was a good, hard fucking. There was no way to know, though; he was actively blocking me.

Instead of continuing down the road out of the reservation, Jake made a detour, and soon we were pulling up in front of his father's house. His thoughts told me that he couldn't wait until we got home to fuck me, and with the party still underway at the beach, we could get at least a few hours of privacy here.

Wordlessly, he dragged me down the hall to his old room, kicking the door shut behind us and shoving me roughly toward his tiny twin bed. I loved when he got pushy like that. Swiftly, I removed my clothes in a flash, not wanting them to be torn in his rush to get at my body—I wanted to be able to wear something on the way home. He did the same, although he wasn't as smooth as I was about it, and then he launched himself at me, tackling me to the bed. Our tongues tangled desperately, our hands roamed everywhere, our rock-hard cocks rubbed against each other as we writhed.

Eventually, my body needed more—I wanted to feel his mouth on me. As if he could read my mind, he started descending down my torso, licking and nipping along the way. My cock needed his hot mouth so badly, it was painful. He didn't make me wait for it, thank God.

Starting at the base, he dragged his tongue up my length to the tip, oh so slowly. The position of his head caused his chin to trail behind his tongue along the underside of my distended cock. The slight scratching of his five o'clock shadow grazed along my sensitive flesh, sending chills up my spine. I could only whimper at the incredible, pleasurable pain of it. His mind chuckled as he swallowed my cock down as far as he could take it.

 _Did you like that?_ "Ngh…yes," I managed to utter.

He chuckled audibly this time, and my toes curled with the vibration. Then, he popped off and did it again, but this time much faster. The sensation of his rough stubble moving swiftly against me was so intense it made me cry out loudly. He looked up at me through his eyelashes and grinned. God, he loved what he could do to me.

"Fuck, Jacob," I whimpered.

He released me from his mouth, making me groan at the loss. He couldn't wait anymore; he needed to feel me from the inside. I wasn't about to argue. Leaning over to his nightstand, he pulled something out of the drawer—a condom and a bottle of lube.

"Ummm…don't tell me you're in heat again," I said, furrowing my brow. That was the only reason he would ever use a condom. I'd made him promise; I did _not_ want to get pregnant again.

He shook his head and smiled as he unwrapped the rubber and rolled it on. Holding his sheathed cock in his hand, he nodded down at it, presenting it to me. The rubber was adorned with bumps and ridges.

"I just wanted to try something a little different. See how the ridges feel for you."

Liking his plan, I responded with a groan as I pulled him down for a passionate kiss. Positioning himself over my prone body as our mouths crashed together again and again, he slowly pressed inside. As his cock gradually invaded me, the sensations of the condom's protrusions overwhelmed me. I felt every inch as he entered me, every little bump teasing my sensitive, fluttering hole. As he made his way inside my body, the bumps that had first teased my entrance then brushed against my prostate, making me convulse beneath him with each pass.

Every stroke of his cock stimulated both my prostate and my ring simultaneously, and I lost any semblance of control I might have had. I was not going to last long. I couldn't hear his thoughts—hell, I couldn't hear my own thoughts. All I could focus on were the bumps and ridges lining his thick, hard cock as he pounded into me mercilessly. He was fucking me within an inch of my life, and I never wanted it to be over. All too soon, my balls tightened and my cock twitched. I came with a feral howl, my cum shooting so far out of the end of my dick that it hit me on the chin. Jacob growled at the sensation of my body squeezing tightly around him and he pummeled my ass, losing all rhythm as his own orgasm shattered his control. Grunting with satisfaction, he collapsed on top of me, but not before he licked my cum from my chin.

Laying together, our limbs tangled, we slowly came down from our incredible high. Jacob fell asleep on top of me, and his heavy, rhythmic breathing lulled me into my own version of blissed-out sleep. Time flew too quickly, and reluctantly, I woke him. We'd been gone much longer than we said we would be, so we had to head back. Besides, Billy would be home soon, and he probably wouldn't appreciate finding us naked and sex-tousled in his son's childhood bedroom. Although, Billy would surely know we had been there by our mixed scents alone.

I took the wheel for the drive home. We drove in silence, just thinking about the bliss we'd just experienced together. As we approached the house, the confused and frightened thoughts of my family began to seep into my head, marring my happiness. Esme's thoughts were the clearest, so I focused on them as I tried to figure out what was going on.

_Don't know how it happened. How could she do this? How could she take our boy?_

Did she mean Anthony? Did somebody get hold of my precious little boy while I'd been stupidly, selfishly fucking my brains out? I accelerated to a dangerous speed, taking the corners so fast that we almost rode on two wheels. Jake gripped onto the door handle tightly, gasping at the sudden change in my driving.

"Fucking hell, Edward! What's gotten into you?!"

I swallowed hard before speaking. "Anthony is missing."

"What?!" he screamed, grabbing a fistful of his own hair and tearing roughly at it. He was thinking that same thing I was—while we were busy having sex, our little boy had been abducted. His thoughts flooded with guilt and horror.

In no time at all, we were at the main house. I didn't bother parking in the garage, or even closing the car door behind me, and I burst through the front door, Jacob hot on my heels. I glanced frantically around the room, taking in the distraught faces around me.

Turning to the vampire closest to me, Esme, I grabbed her shoulders and shook her, screaming, "Where is he, Esme?! Where is my baby?!"

She wasn't bothered by the violence, understanding my distress. Quickly, she filled me in.

"Irina took him to the cottage. He wanted his Thomas pillow. But they never came back. We searched everywhere—there's no sign of them."

Jacob lost control of his legs under the weight of the news, and I caught him in my arms before he collapsed. I held him tightly as he sobbed, mumbling about being too late.

Irina stole our baby. That fucking traitor was working for the Volturi this whole time; it was the only explanation. When we found her, I was going to tear that bitch limb from limb and burn her body to ash.

* * *

**Irina POV**

One minute I'm walking with Anthony to the cottage. The next, I'm trapped in an impenetrable cell. I remember nothing about how I ended up here. It was as though that period of time went up in smoke. I had no idea what happened, but I knew where I was—the strong, musty scent of an ancient foundation, the titanium bars—the only metal strong enough to stand up to a vampire.

I was in Volterra. I was a prisoner. But how? Why?

Panic took hold, and my eyes darted around the cell. Anthony wasn't with me. Had he escaped? Were they holding him, too? Was he dead?

I grabbed hold of the cell bars in my hands and shook them with all my might, but they didn't budge. Throwing my head back, I wailed in despair before shouting, hoping that someone—anyone—would hear.

" _Where is he?! What have you done with him?!_ "


	7. A Plan of Action

**Chapter 6 - A Plan of Action**

**Carlisle POV**

Eleazar and I were secluded in my study. While it was difficult to believe that Irina was a spy for the Volturi, there wasn't any other explanation for her actions. We feared that perhaps another among us might be under their influence, unlikely as that may be. I did not want to take any chances however, so while we discussed the broad strokes of the plan with the family as a whole, the finer details would be revealed to as few people as possible. I knew I could trust Eleazar with my life, and Edward would know all of what was said behind these closed doors as well. I was certain that the others would try to eavesdrop, but Eleazar and I were determined to keep our voices quiet and quick, and to write down much of what we needed to discuss.

That morning, a Next-Day-Air envelope had arrived on our doorstep, containing only a single sheet of paper with the message:

_We have that which you desire. Retrieve him while you still can, if you dare._

Obviously, this had frightened us all, especially Anthony's parents and Leah. When we saw the return address from an Italian post office, all suspicions were confirmed. Marcus and Caius were holding my grandson, possibly even causing him harm, to get back at me for my actions against their brother. There was no turning away from this; I had to confront them head-on. They would not rest until they had me, and I would offer myself to them.

Of course, no one agreed to that plan. Instead, Jasper came up with the idea to recruit old friends to stand behind me in defense of my actions against Aro. He was sure, and the rest of my family were in agreement, that the majority of the vampire kingdom wanted the Volturi reign to fall, and that there would be some that may be willing to lay down their lives to make that happen. The plan made me wary—if we were to win against them, that would make me the new ruler of our kind; a fate I never wanted to fall into my lap. But, I would cross that bridge when I came to it. The most important matter at the moment was to get our little boy back.

Feeling a small amount of relief at the tentative plan, Eleazar and I had retired to figure out who we might be able to convince to join us. We each wrote out the names of the vampires we had associated with in the past so that we could point to the name, never having to speak it. That way, no one downstairs would know who we were discussing, save for Edward, of course.

We each took a few moments to write down the names of our friends before splaying out the pages on my desk so that we both could see. My list consisted of a few nomads, my friends in the Amazonian jungle, and an Irish coven that had been kind to me many moons ago. Eleazar's list also contained some nomads, as well as an Egyptian coven that was unknown to me, and the Romanians who were all but eradicated by the Volturi centuries ago.

Pointing to the Romanians, I said, "These will surely stand with us. Aro made it a point to overthrow them in years past; I'm certain they will want revenge."

"Exactly," Eleazar agreed. "They will come. It won't matter if they know you or not. Once they find out the reason, they will join in our stand."

Moving on, Eleazar pointed to the Amazonians. "Do you know their precise location?" I shook my head. "Then we should not waste time with them. It will take too long to find them, and time is of the essence now."

I nodded my assent, pointing next to the Irish folk. "I know this coven well. Their leader took to me in friendship, and treated me as their kin. And they have a member of their coven who can ferret out lies."

Eleazar rubbed his hands together in excitement. "Yes, that will be quite helpful. You should call on them directly."

"I will. What can you tell me about these?" I asked, pointing to the Egyptians.

Eleazar paused, deep in thought for a moment. "Their leader is wary of the Volturi. His progeny is very powerful, a manipulator of nature. He has tried hard to keep the man hidden. However, now that the Volturi have been weakened, he may agree to help us, if only to allow his coven its own freedoms. It is worth a try."

Nodding, I moved on to the final bunch on the list, the nomads.

"They will be hard to find," Eleazar began.

"Indeed they will. I have an idea of the location of this one…" I said, pointing out an old Revolutionary, Garrett. "And, these two are friends of Jasper—he may know where they are," I explained, indicating Peter and Charlotte.

"I may be able to find this one, but I'm not sure of the others. We don't have the time to waste, however," Eleazar said, pointing to Alistair as the one he might be able to find. I knew Alistair too; he was a shifty sort, fearful of being close to others—a solitary creature. If Eleazar could convince him to join us, I would be very surprised.

It was decided. We would call on the Romanians, Irish, and Egyptian covens, while also attempting to locate the four nomads. Combined with our two covens and a smattering of wolves, we would be formidable opponents. My spirits began to lift.

"And where shall we tell them to meet us?" I asked, trying to calculate a meeting point that was both close enough, and far enough, away from Volterra.

Eleazar grinned from ear to ear, writing down SWITZERLAND in capital cursive letters. "What better place, eh?"

* * *

**Caius POV**

Marcus, Jane and I were glued to the screens in the control room, watching with mirth as the Cullens fretted over the loss of the young one. It amused me to see the big brown man lose it like a baby, blubbering uncontrollably. Even better was when they received our envelope. I had wanted to include one of the little boy's fingers or toes with the letter, but Marcus flat-out refused; he was really opposed to injuring the "innocent," as he called him. Innocent, my ass. The child was an aberration. But Jane had surprisingly felt endeared to the boy; maybe he reminded her of Alec, with his wide eyes and boyish features. So, I was overruled, though I was sure to gripe about it at every opportunity.

Marcus felt the letter was enough to get them to come to Volterra, and he kept the boy secluded in a posh little room, with a few vampires under strict orders to guard the door. I guess he didn't really trust me, although I couldn't blame him too much for that. Instead, I got some enjoyment out of harassing the female in the dungeon. She begged me to tell her what happened to the boy, and I took pleasure in relaying stories of torture that made her scream and cry and shake with fear and guilt. It was very satisfying.

We watched as the Cullens and the Denalis tried to sort out what to do. Currently, Carlisle and Eleazar were conspicuously absent. No doubt, they feared that another family member might be a spy for us, so the details of the rescue were being discussed away from the majority. All that the others knew was that they were deciding which friends to call to stand with them against us. I scoffed at the notion that anyone would come to their aid; very few vampires dared to confront us, especially on our own territory. I doubted they would have much, if any, success with recruiting.

On screen, there was a knock at the door, and the brown man sighed, looking at the clock.

"Shit, I forgot they were coming."

He went to open the door, and returned with an even larger brown man and a horribly scarred woman of the same color. She was hard to look at. They asked after the child, and were instantly filled in on the kidnapping. The scarred woman began to cry, and another brown woman went to hug her, crying equally hard. The large brown man—Sam, as he was called—said something about allowing a part of a pack to go with the Cullens overseas. The fathers of the child were extremely grateful, and Sam asked the brown one to go with him.

Carmen, the woman whose screen I'd been watching, followed the two men to the door and watched them leave for the woods. And then, the most amazing thing happened. The men became wolves in midair, dashing off into the forest. The men became wolves.

_Werewolves._

Jane looked sharply at me, knowing my disdain for all things canine. I flashed her a toothy grin—there was nothing I loved more than eradicating fleabag dogs, and they would be coming, right here to my doorstep.

* * *

**Anthony POV**

I was in a strange place. It was old and smelly and cold. The people who lived there were kind of like my daddy, but they had red eyes. Daddy told me that people with red eyes were dangerous; that they would hurt me, and I had to stay away from them. But I couldn't stay away from them—they were the only people around here.

Mostly, they left me alone in my room. The room that was mine was okay; the walls were white and the bed wasn't too lumpy. There were a few old toys and puzzles in there, but it was boring. I wished there was TV. The older man with black hair brought me food that tasted pretty good. They didn't have a potty, but the man left me a pot to go pee in. The man—Marcus, he said to call him—was nice to me. He said he wouldn't hurt me, and he would make sure no one else would either. I believed him. It was better than just being scared all the time.

I wondered what happened to Auntie 'Rina. It was weird, what happened. I didn't understand. We went to go get my Thomas pillow, but before we could get it, Auntie 'Rina stood still like a statue, right there in the woods. I had tugged on her hand, but she didn't look at me. She just stared, like she saw something I couldn't see. Then she picked me up and ran; she ran so far and so long, and when I asked her where we were going, she didn't answer. She never said anything. She brought me to an airplane. It was big, but we were the only ones riding it. I never got on a plane before, and I was scared, but I tried to be brave. When we got to where I am now, Marcus brought me to this room, and a yellow-haired man brought Auntie 'Rina someplace else. I haven't seen her again. I hoped she was okay. I missed her.

I didn't know how long I was there, but I was lonely and bored. I wanted my daddy to read me books and my papa to play horsey with me. I wanted my Grammy to make me cookies and my Auntie Rosie to sing me songs. No one did those things here. I was sad. My eyes got we,t and I sniffled, thinking about my family. I hoped they would come get me soon.

I heard footsteps in the hall and then my door opened. Marcus and the yellow-haired man came inside. Marcus gave me a nice smile, but the other man just looked at me mean. It made me cry more.

"I want my daddy," I whined, wiping my cheeks.

The man with the yellow hair looked at me with narrow eyes and a curled lip.

"Is your daddy a wolf, child?" he asked. His voice was really, really mean.

"No, my daddy a vamper. My papa a wolf."

The man smiled when I said that and whispered something to Marcus that I didn't understand. Then he left me alone with Marcus, still smiling. But he didn't look happy…there was something wrong about his smile.

Turning to face Marcus, I asked, "When will Daddy come?"

Marcus knelt down and gave me a hug. His cold arms reminded me of home, and I snuggled against his chest.

"Soon, child. Soon he will come for you."


	8. The Alps

**Chapter 7: The Alps**

**Leah POV**

It only took Carlisle and Eleazar about twelve hours to contact their fellow vampires and secure a private plane that would fit all of us. Then we were in the air, off to Zurich, Switzerland to get our beloved boy back. Those twelve hours of waiting were probably the longest of my life.

I felt lost without my imprint. My heart felt like it was rendered into a million pieces, and each piece throbbed and burned in my chest, trying to find a way to knit itself back together. It was so much worse than when Sam left me for Emily. Actually, I now understood how he was able to do that—the pain of being apart from your imprint was incapacitating. I couldn't speak; I couldn't eat. All I could do was curl up in the fetal position on the floor and "watch" what was going on around me, though I saw little. I'm sure my eyes were vacant to everyone who looked.

People were worried about me—Rosalie and Seth took turns sitting beside me, stroking my hair in a comforting gesture. The normal me would have shoved them away—what was I, some kind of doll?—but I didn't have the strength or the will to do anything anymore. The only thing that got me through those endless hours was the knowledge that I would find my boy soon and make him safe again. At least, I hoped so. If Anthony was dead…no, I couldn't think of that.

On the private plane, I felt slightly better. I was that much closer to getting my imprint back—that's what I kept telling myself. Currently, we were more than halfway through our trip, and the plane was jam-packed. We had made a stop somewhere in the Midwest, I think, to pick up two red-eyed vamps that were apparently friends of Jasper's. They joined Jasper at the front of the aircraft, talking to Emmett and Rosalie through the open door of the cockpit. Apparently either Emmett or Rosalie had a pilot's license, because one of them was flying this thing.

I glanced around at the faces surrounding me. Esme and Alice were engaged in conversation with Kate, Tanya and Carmen, but they were talking too quietly and too quickly for me to understand them. Their faces were etched with concern and worry though. Carlisle and Eleazar also spoke in hushed tones, but their conversation was decipherable. Apparently, an Irish coven had been unreachable in time for this meeting. Carlisle was disappointed; it seemed that one of their coven members had the ability to detect lies, which would have been useful.

Poor Edward and Jacob were tightly entwined in each other's arms, dejectedly looking out the window, their faces absent of any emotion, their eyes hollow and empty. Their agony had drained them; they were unkempt and unwashed, not caring about their appearance. Jacob's cheeks were tear-stained, and the shadows under his eyes belied what little sleep he'd gotten. I was certain I looked in a similar state.

As for the wolves, obviously Seth, Embry and Quil came along. They were joined by Sam and Paul. Sam had left Jared in charge of the younger wolves back home, claiming it was a job for a Beta wolf. But really, Jared was a pretty bad match for Edward and Jake, so it was a good idea to leave him behind. I'm sure Paul would have liked to stay behind too, but he was a strong wolf, and now that he was marrying Jacob's sister, he kind of had an obligation to help.

Not wanting to engage anyone, I shut my eyes and pretended to sleep. I'm sure I wasn't fooling anyone, but they left me alone, thankfully.

Finally, the plane started its descent, and we landed in a small airport somewhere outside of Zurich. Once we all deplaned, we piled into a couple of vans and drove up into the mountains a bit, away from the human population. After we had driven for almost two and a half hours through treacherous, icy terrain, we all got out and began to make our way to the rendezvous point that Eleazar had mapped out for us, halfway up the mountain range. It was fucking freezing in these mountains, even in our wolf forms. Why couldn't these goddamn vamps think about us for five seconds? Sure, we have fur coats, but it wasn't enough, damn it.

 _Just keep running_ , Jake directed us. _Think of warm, tropical beaches. Hot sun..._

The minds of Sam and Paul were present in our mental link too, now that they had allied themselves with Jacob, but I was sure it was only temporary. Still, it was comforting to know that we would all be on the same page during the rescue.

After what felt like forever, the scent of vampire quadrupled in the air, making my nostrils burn. I hadn't quite gotten used to the Cullens' rancid aroma, but the scents of these new bloodsuckers was far worse than theirs—maybe it was because they drank human blood. Breaking through the tree line, we came to a halt when the large group of leeches awaiting our arrival came into view. They made no move to attack us, so these were, apparently, the "friendly" ones.

Introductions were made, and the vampires seemed leery of the wolves' presence there. As Carlisle explained who we were and that we were allies of the Cullens, I took a look at the strange group before me. There were four Middle-Eastern vamps, two men and two women, all gorgeous, all youthful, save for one, who looked to be their leader. There was a white guy with a ponytail who looked like he was from that Mel Gibson movie The Patriot…he probably was that old, although he didn't look it, of course. There was a lone older guy who looked seriously shady, and Jasper's two friends who were with us on the plane. And there were two really fucking old dudes who reminded me of the Cryptkeeper from Tales From the Crypt.

Finally, Carlisle laid out the reason for the meeting. He explained about Edward's pregnancy, which met with mixed reactions from the group. When he got to Aro's attempt to abduct him, there was outrage amongst the red-eyed vampires, though none were surprised. But when Carlisle recounted the fight that ensued, which had led to Carlisle killing the old coot, a hush fell over the crowd. The silence was deafening, and I began to worry that they would turn on us; that maybe they had some kind of secret allegiance with the Volturi that Carlisle hadn't known about. I quickly dismissed that concern when they all began to cheer and congratulate Carlisle, slapping him on the back and whooping for the renewed freedom from the oppressive rule of the Italians. The two old dudes seemed especially pleased.

Carlisle soon quieted them down, clearly embarrassed by their raucous display.

"Thank you, everyone. I am glad you are pleased with this turn of events. But I'm afraid that the death of Aro has not put an end to the Volturi's reign of terror. The remaining members of the triad, as well as the formidable force that is Jane, are out for revenge. They have abducted the child, and we ask for your help to get him back and defeat the Italians once and for all. Will you stand with us?"

Without hesitation, the two old dudes and The Patriot guy allied themselves with us. Jasper's friends also agreed quickly, coming to stand next to their old friend in a show of solidarity. The young Middle-Eastern man seemed ready to stand with us, but the older man held him back, and the four of them huddled together to discuss the pros and cons. Meanwhile, the old shifty guy stepped forward.

"Carlisle, you are an old friend, but I am sorry. I will not stand with you."

Carlisle simply nodded and gave him a tight-lipped smile, sticking out his hand to the man. Cautiously, the man shook it, and Carlisle clasped the hand with his free one as he spoke.

"Alistair, I do not hold this against you. Always know that I am here if you need me."

Alistair looked down at his feet and nodded. He seemed to be ashamed of himself, and I fucking hoped he was. Carlisle released him then, and in a flash, he was gone. Seriously, the Doc was way too nice. I'd have punched that asshole.

Finally, the older Middle-Eastern guy stepped forward.

"Amun?" Carlisle asked.

"My dear friend, I have always wanted to rid the world of Aro Volturi—"

"Here, here!" cried one of the Cryptkeepers.

"—and I am so thankful that you had the courage to do it. You know, he was always after my Benjamin…"

"Yes," Carlisle agreed. "Benjamin is immensely talented. I'm sure Aro would have killed to secure him in the Guard."

"He would, and he has. But now, he is no longer a threat to my coven. For this reason, we fight with you. However, I will not allow our women to stand with us. It is not a woman's place to do such things."

I couldn't help but huff at that. How could he hold these immortal, powerful women to the rules of the human Muslim world? It was ridiculous. If Carlisle felt similarly, he didn't show it.

"I understand completely, Amun. Thank you for agreeing to help us."

It was soon decided that we would make our way through the wilderness to Volterra, travelling by night. Stopping during the day kept the vampires from being seen in sunlight, but also gave the wolves time to rest. Seeing as it was around noon at that moment, the plan was to begin our travels at nightfall. That would allow us wolves to sleep off some of our jet-lag, and the vampires to feed before the trip. There was no way I was getting any sleep, though. There was too much to think about, too much to worry about. We were so close to getting Anthony back—I just wanted to leave now.

As the vampires left to go hunting (and I did my best not to dwell on the fact that the red-eyes were going in search of innocent people to kill), I watched as Jacob nuzzled and licked Edward good-bye. Edward rewarded him with a scratch behind the ear, a quick kiss to the top of his head, and a promise to return in a couple of hours. The vampires all disappeared into the woods, but Esme hung back. It was then that I noticed for the first time that she carried a giant rucksack with her. She approached our pack as we huddled together for extra warmth, all hoping to get a bit of shut-eye.

Kneeling down beside me, she unzipped the pack and said, "I thought you guys might get hungry, so I made a beef stew before we left." She pulled a huge crockpot and some plastic bowls from the rucksack. "Oh! It's still warm too. I knew this crockpot was a good buy."

Swiftly, she filled a bowl for each of us, placing them before our muzzles. It _was_ still warm; in fact, it was steaming. And it smelled absolutely delicious. My stomach rumbled loudly—I hadn't realized how hungry I was. Jacob nudged her shoulder with his muzzle in thanks.

"You're welcome," Esme replied, smiling in satisfaction. "Enjoy! I'm going off to join the others now. Try to get some sleep afterward, okay? We have a long night of running ahead of us."

Esme disappeared into the trees and we dug in. We were ravenous, and we ate sloppily, thinking of nothing but how damn good it tasted. After a few bowls of the stew, my mind got really cloudy. The thoughts of the others made absolutely no sense to me anymore. I don't know if I was falling into some kind of food coma, or if the lack of sleep was finally catching up to me, but whatever it was, I didn't care. Black spots clouded my vision and my eyelids felt like there were a hundred pound weights attached to them. I gave up quickly, succumbing to sleep, my brother nestled against one side of me, my Alpha huddled against the other.

Some time later, I was jolted awake by the sounds of wretched screams. Frantically, through sleep-weary eyes, I sought the leadership of my Alpha, but he was no longer by my side. In fact, he was nowhere to be seen. Glancing around at the other wolves, all pulled from their slumber and looking equally panicked, I met my brother's eyes. Seth was frightened. The sounds I was hearing began to register more clearly as the fog of sleep lifted. They weren't screams, but rather wails of anguish. My gaze landed on Edward and the Doc, locked in a desperate embrace, sobbing tearlessly on one another's shoulders. It only took a moment to realize what was going on; the only reason they would be acting this way.

Jacob and Esme were gone.

* * *


	9. Pawns in the Game

**Chapter 8 - Pawns in the Game**

**Esme POV**

From the moment I regained consciousness, I knew where I was. I'd never been there before, but there was no mistaking it. The tiny, barren room was damp and dark, and though it didn't bother my skin, it was freezing cold. I opened my eyes to find myself lying face down on a cobblestone floor, which was crumbling with age. My surroundings reeked of mildew, mingled with the trace scents of the many vampires that had been confined here before me.

Another aroma was prominent, and it came from my own clothes. I was awash in the scent of werewolf. As I rose to my feet, dusting myself off and trying to orient myself, I wondered why the smell of Jacob was so heavy, clinging to me. There was another strong scent nearby, a vampire that I recognized but couldn't place in my confusion. I made my way nearer to the bars of my cell, when the vampire spoke.

"Esme?" the female voice asked timidly. "Are you awake?"

"Irina?" I replied in wonder, recognizing her voice immediately. Relief washed over me, knowing that she was alright. And then I remembered...

Clenching the cell bars with both hands, I saw her, dirty and disheveled, mimicking my stance in the cell across from mine. I was overcome with a sudden rage, shaking the bars in my fury. "What did you do with my grandson?" I hissed accusingly.

Her head shook automatically, her widened black eyes begging me to listen. "Nothing, I swear! I came here the same way you did. One second I was walking Anthony to the cottage, the next I was locked up in this cell. I scream and scream for him, but no one answers. I haven't seen anyone the whole time I've been here. The first time anyone came down here was a few hours ago, when they dropped you off, unconscious. I knew then that this had to be part of some master plan. I think...I think they want..."

"Carlisle," I said, my voice a harsh whisper. She nodded solemnly. Just as he'd suspected. The remaining Volturi wanted revenge. And what better way to draw out my husband than first by taking his grandson, then by taking me?

We were silent for a long time as we contemplated our future, or lack thereof. There was no doubt in my mind when Carlisle realized my absence, his immediate conclusion would be that I had been abducted. Who knows how long I'd been unconscious for? I was sure he was already on his way here, headed straight for certain death. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat. I could not afford to show weakness. For all I knew, the Volturi were surveying me at this very moment. Instead, I sought to calm myself—my husband knew what he was heading toward; he would not be rash in his recovery of me. Thankfully, he was surrounded by family and friends who would help guide him through this.

Eventually, Irina spoke, her voice broken with despair.

"Everyone thinks I was working with them, don't they?"

My gaze rose to meet hers—her eyes were enormous black pools of hunger. All I could do was nod. Her face crumpled and her shoulders heaved with dry sobs. I wished I could wrap my arms around her, to comfort her.

Suddenly, there was a scraping sound, like metal against metal. Both of our heads whipped in the direction of the noise—the door at the end of the hall was creaking open.

Even through the darkness, I could clearly see the face of the figure entering the hall of the prison. Although I had never met her in person, the young girl's features were familiar. She looked like a feminine version of the boy we killed, Alec. This was, without doubt, his twin sister, Jane—one of the Volturi's most fearsome assets. Internally, I was panicked with the knowledge of what she could do to me, but I fought to keep my face blank.

The small girl in the flowing robe stopped directly in front of my cell, looking up into my stoic eyes with a cruel smirk. Every fiber of my being wanted to shrink away, but I stood my ground, unflinching, and unmoving. She stared at me for some time, never breaking eye contact, willing me to speak first. I was determined not to, returning her stare with a steely resolve.

Irina was the one to break the weighty silence. "Please," she begged pathetically. "I'm so thirsty."

Jane whirled on her heel to face Irina, and in less than a second, my poor friend was writhing on the ground, shrieking in pain. Suppressing a moan of sympathy, I cringed, shutting my eyes to her pain. Suddenly, the wailing stopped.

"Shut up, you insipid creature," Jane said, the sneer on her face clear in her voice. By the time she turned back to face me, I had resumed my composure.

"Do you know where you are, woman?" Jane demanded.

Not dignifying the question with an answer, I asked one of my own. "What have you done with my grandson?" I was proud that my tone did not waver.

The sprite vampire smiled broadly. "Oh, don't you worry about your precious freak child. Marcus has him well protected. It's your pet you should be worried about."

My pet? Jane read the confusion in my eyes and decided to enlighten me. "Your dog, you idiot."

The question came out before I could stop it. "Jacob? Jacob is here, too?"

"Of course he is," she replied, rolling her eyes. "You brought him here."

"What are you talking about? I didn't bring him here! You abducted me!"

Jane sighed dramatically. "I guess I might as well tell you. It's not as though you'll be leaving here alive. We've been watching your coven, Cullen. We've been listening—we know exactly what Carlisle did. We know he murdered Aro. We know you all had a hand in killing our friends, my brother…"

Anger boiled in her eyes when she mentioned her brother, and she paused to calm herself. A million questions ran through my mind—how were they keeping tabs on us? How did they know so much?

I didn't get much chance to reflect. Composed now, Jane's irritating smirk returned. "We have a team of scientists working for us, and they developed a way for us to watch your every move, and control you individually as we see fit. We made her," Jane pointed toward Irina's cell, "bring the child to us, but we became impatient. Besides, once we saw the evidence of your wolf friends, confirmed by your grandson, I might add, Caius could not resist the urge to acquire one. We could have made any one of the women bring the wolf boy to Volterra, but it seemed most appropriate if it was you—Carlisle's mate and the maternal figure that the wolf trusts so much."

"But how?" I asked, taken aback. "How are you controlling my will?"

Jane laughed openly at me. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret now, would it? Suffice it to say, we made you drug the wolves with a tranquilizer in the food you so kindly prepared for them. When the coast was clear, you became our tool to carry the sleeping wolf here to Volterra."

I could do nothing but stare at her as I tried to process what she was telling me. She continued, "We've been privy to every moment of your plans. We know exactly where your little army is at this precise moment. They think they have the element of surprise, the fools. Now, of course, they are a total mess. Carlisle and Edward are inconsolable, and the wolves are lost without their leader." Jane chuckled darkly as she took in my horrified expression. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?"

I ignored her attempt to rile me. There was nothing I could do from inside this cell—my hands were tied in terms of my family and friends. Jane had assured me that Anthony was alright, and there was not much I could do but trust that they would not harm an innocent child. Instead, I glanced around my cell, peeking through the bars down the hall of the barren prison, even though I knew there was no one there but me, Irina and Jane. Jane's eyes followed mine, her brow quirking in amusement. Finally, I looked back at her, my expression fixed back in that blank stare.

"Where is Jacob now?"

She snickered. "Oh, Caius is taking good care of him, I assure you."

A visible tremor shook my body. Caius hated werewolves. I shuddered to think of what torture he might be inflicting on my surrogate son at this very moment. Jane laughed heartily at my obvious fear for Jacob. Her high-pitched peals of laughter abruptly cut off though, catching my full attention. She glared at me now, her eyes narrowed almost to slits.

"I want you to tell me what happened to my brother, Esme."

I just stared at her, refusing to give her what she wanted. She used me as a pawn in their little game—used me to bring Jacob to certain death, used me as a lure for my own husband. And Lord knows what they'd done with the baby. I would never give her the satisfaction of closure.

My silence was costly. White hot flames consumed me, melting me from the inside out. I clawed at my stone flesh, trying to extinguish the agonizing pain. The only sounds were my own anguished screams and the cruel chuckles of the demonic vampire who imprisoned me in the fire.

* * *

**Jacob POV**

I opened my eyes to a circular room made of white-washed stone. Even with my overheated skin, I was freezing. The place absolutely reeked of vampire, making my nose itch. I moved to rub it with the back of my hand, but my hand wouldn't budge. Panicked, I realized that my wrists were bound in shackles, my arms outstretched, secured by chains to the walls on either side of me. My ankles were secured in much the same way; my feet flat on the floor, but spread apart and secured tightly by taut steel chains.

I felt the shackles, but could only see them through my peripheral vision, as a cool metal collar was fastened around my neck. I tried to move my head, but the collar was tight, constricting my airway if I moved too much. The metal of the chains that held my head upright was brushing against my cheeks. All I could do was face forward so that I stared straight ahead. The collar chains seemed to be fastened to the ceiling of the room.

I was naked too, which made sense, since the last thing I remembered was falling asleep in the Alps after eating Esme's delicious stew in my wolf form, Seth and Leah flanking my sides. Where were they now? Where was Edward? Where was _I_?

Before I had time to think about it, I heard a door open behind me, a cool gust of air whooshing into the room, making me shiver. The pungent scent of vampire was overwhelming as the leech slowly made his way around me, until we came face to face. His pale skin was papery and nearly translucent, just like Aro's had been. His filmy eyes glowed red, and his deceptively youthful face was framed with shoulder-length, silvery blond hair.

The vampire's lips curled into a sneer. "The canine awakens," he murmured, stroking my cheek with one ice cold finger. I tried to jerk away, but the collar around my neck left me no room to move. The vampire chuckled once.

I shot questions at him rapid-fire, hoping to overwhelm him. "Where the fuck am I?" I demanded. "Where is Edward? What do you want from me?"

His sneer grew into a smirk. "So many questions."

"Answer me, leech!" I growled, rage building inside me. I felt my skin bristle and my bones stretch with my impending phase, but the shackles were too tight, preventing my bone structure from changing, causing my skin to press against the metal painfully. The wolf retreated back inside, and I gasped. The blond vampire chuckled, shaking his head at me.

"Oh, you cannot change, boy. It would be very unwise of me, to allow it. Do you think I am a fool?"

"I don't know who you are," I spat back.

"You can consider me the eradicator of canine vermin. There was a time when it was my mission to destroy all werewolves; I thought them to be extinct. Until I found out about you and your friends. Since you are among the last, I'm going to enjoy your death. Make it last."

"I'm not a werewolf! I'm a shifter!" I argued.

The vampire grinned, his teeth glinting under the light of the bright bulb hanging from the ceiling.

"Don't patronize me, boy."

He reached inside his robes and pulled out a whip with many tails, like the kind I'd seen in sex shops—cat o' nine tails, I think they were called. Only each tail on this whip had sharp metal blades on the ends.

Internally, I panicked. In this position, I was completely prone, every part of me at the mercy of the razor-tipped fronds of that whip. I couldn't protect myself. All I could do was hope that someone else was here, someone who could hear me, save me. Edward…

"Help!" I cried out as loudly as I could. "Anybody! This fucking bloodsucker is crazy!"

The blond vampire's expression turned dark, and he clapped his disgusting hand over my mouth.

"Silence! No one will come for you. If you continue to scream, you will only upset your little half-breed. He isn't far—he will hear every cry."

Everything clicked into place at once. I was a prisoner in Volterra. I was in the presence of one of Aro's comrades. Anthony was here and, apparently, alive.

And I would have to endure this vampire's sadistic torture in silence if I didn't want to scar my son for life. So, I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes as the vampire let the first lash fly.


	10. Suspicion

**Chapter 9 - Suspicion**

**EDWARD'S POV**

Jacob was gone. Esme was gone. And Carlisle and I were a pair of broken souls. How does one go on when their mate is lost? My father and I had become empty shells of ourselves once we'd discovered our mates missing. When Esme never joined us on our hunt, we knew something was wrong. Hearing Carlisle's concern, I'd followed him back to camp, only to find no evidence of Esme, and a pile of heavily sleeping wolves, sans Jacob.

Carlisle immediately scented sedatives flowing through the wolves' veins—someone had obviously drugged them and stolen Jacob while they slept. But how had they overpowered Esme? Even if she'd been caught by surprise, it would have been difficult for someone to kidnap a vampire. Unless…what had happened with our mates was a mirror of what had happened to Irina and my son.

As my father and I held each other and wept for our tremendous losses, our minds whirled; my own thoughts combining with Carlisle's so that I could no longer tell which were his and which were my own as we searched our brains for an answer. The only conclusion we continuously came to was that this was the Volturi's doing, but how?

The rest of our party eventually returned, and there was an uproar as the wolves awoke and minds reeled with the shock of our missing comrades. The vampires argued and accused one another, even pointing fingers at the wolf pack; rationale was thrown out the window—the clearing in the Swiss mountains was in chaos. Everyone figured there was a traitor in our midst. And everyone was suspicious of each other, especially the Romanians, but I knew their minds—their consciences were clear. No one here was involved, and finally, I couldn't take the accusations and distrust anymore.

"Stop!" I screamed, my eyes wild in my grief. "No one here is responsible. Esme and Jake have simply disappeared."

Garrett huffed. "And how exactly do you know that?"

"I can read each and every one of your minds," I replied, "and no one here is responsible for their disappearance."

Carlisle spoke up then. "Friends, I know how distressing this is to you all. No doubt, it is most distressing to myself, and to Edward, who has now lost two who are dear to him. This is the Volturi's doing." Carlisle hung his head and added balefully, "It's me they want." Raising his head, he looked me in the eye. "I'm so sorry, Edward. This is all my fault. If I hadn't killed Aro, Jake and Anthony and…Esme would still be here."

I shook my head at his apology. "It's not your fault, Carlisle. If you hadn't killed Aro, Anthony would never have been born in the first place, and I would more than likely be dead."

Carlisle nodded, unable and unwilling to deny the truth in my statement.

Benjamin spoke then. "Perhaps the Volturi have some new vampire in their ranks that can control our minds? See over great distances to know that Esme had been alone and vulnerable for a few moments?"

It was as good an idea as any of us could come up with, and it gave me hope that our mates were still alive. Of course, there was no way to know for sure. All we could do now was work out a clear plan to infiltrate Volterra as swiftly as possible; not just to save Anthony, but to save our mates as well.

My belly twisted to think what horrible things they might do to my Jacob...Caius was known to hate all things canine. Would he torture him? Rape him? Mutilate him? Burn his beautiful tan skin? It was all possible, and I would put none of it past the fiend. I had to get there before he injured my husband too badly, or killed him, God forbid. I was confident Anthony would be held as bait, but I had no such confidence for Jacob's fate.

The thought of never seeing his perfect face, holding his body close to mine, his strong, calloused hands caressing me as I kissed his plump lips and breathed in his manly scent again, was swiftly turning my sadness to absolute rage.

First, they take my baby; now, they take my mate. All in the name of revenge. Honestly, what was wrong with an eye for an eye? Why had they not come directly after Carlisle? Why go for his loved ones... _my_ loved ones? It made no sense.

But they would pay for what they'd done. And I was going to be the one to make them.

**WILHELM'S POV**

When I was a human, I was a gifted young scientist, just wetting my feet in the medical field. I had focused on microbiology and physiology; my dream in life being to find a cure for cancer.

That dream was cut short one night when I was working late in my lab. It was very late, and I don't recall exactly what project was keeping me there past normal operating hours; my memory of my human life was fuzzy, with many details missing.

What I do remember though, was a middle-aged man in a long black robe entering the abandoned laboratory. I think he may have spoken a few words to me; I only remember being frightened by his wardrobe, yet entranced by his surprising good looks. The next thing I knew was intense pain that seemed endless, and when it ended, I was no longer a human, but a _vampire_.

As a man of science, this was a shocking discovery, and it may have driven me insane had it not been for the jubilation of Roberto, a newborn engineer changed the same day as I had been, and the kindness that Marcus, the vampire who changed me, had shown me. He helped us learn to live and feed as vampires do, and after about a year, we were able to control our murderous impulses enough to focus on other things besides drinking blood.

It was then that Roberto and I were approached by Jane, and ordered to devise a contraption that could both spy on vampires unawares and essentially entice one to come to Volterra willingly, but without their knowledge. We didn't ask questions; we had been well warned by some of our comrades of Jane's vicious powers and did not want to be on the receiving end of them. Besides, what choice did we really have? We were essentially slaves to these ancient beings.

It took us a long time to work out the best tool for their use, but eventually, we presented them with our camera-equipped robotic mosquitoes with a remote-release mind control pheromone. Our leaders were beyond pleased, and once we taught them how it worked, they inducted us into the ranks of their Guard, and we were readily accepted amongst them.

When the woman and the young child arrived, the first victims of our device, I felt great shame. They had taken control of a little boy, and it was my fault. What could they possibly want with him? What would they do to him?

It was eating me up inside, so when I found Marcus alone in the library later that day, I inquired as to their intentions with the child.

"The child is merely bait and will remain unharmed," Marcus has assuaged me. "Fear not, Wilhelm, for his safety. While the boy is under my protection, no one will dare lay a finger on him." Then, the ancient vampire detailed what he knew of the strange circumstance of the child's birth. Two men bearing a child, one of which a vampire, was greatly intriguing to me. "That was the reason our brother Aro went to see the Cullens," Marcus explained, "to learn more of the child's miraculous conception. Instead, he was met with death, and that is why we are holding the child; to draw out our brother's murderer." I left the library feeling confident the child would be kept in good health, but I desperately wanted to see him for myself, to see the product of such an odd and unlikely union.

All I had to do was wax scientific about the boy's birth, and Marcus granted me permission to visit him. Perhaps the old man thought I might learn something that may be of use to him later; I was simply curious.

Carefully, I placed the key in the lock and turned. The door creaked open, and I slid inside, leaving the door slightly ajar. On the bed sat the child, Anthony; his vibrant green eyes shining, and his caramel-skinned forehead creased with a steely resolve as he glared at me.

Stepping closer, I addressed him. "Hello, Anthony. My name is Wilhelm. I am a friend of Marcus, a scientist."

Anthony stood up from the edge of the bed but did not approach me. His hard glare never wavered, and when he spoke, his tone was fierce.

"Where is my Papa?" he asked, although it was more a statement than a question.

"I'm sure he is looking for you as we speak, child."

Anthony shook his head, disbelieving. "I know he's here. I heard him cry Daddy's name."

As far as I knew, the father was the one they were attempting to lure. Thus, he could not possibly be here yet, or I was sure I would have heard about it. Perhaps the child was delusional from being held in this room.

"No, Anthony. Your papa isn't here."

Clearly unhappy with my response, Anthony balled his hands into fists at his sides; they were clenched so tightly his arms began to vibrate. The vibration spread up his limbs until his entire person trembled, his icy glare boring a hole into me. I felt a spark of fear, then admonished myself internally. I was a vampire—no child's tantrum could harm me.

"You're a liar!" Anthony spat, and the lights began to flicker.

The coincidence unnerved me, and I thought it best to leave the child alone. Quickly turning on my heel, I slid out the door and slammed it shut behind me, making sure to lock it with the key.

"Liar! Where's my Papa?!" Anthony screamed from behind the door.

The lights in the hallways were now flickering violently along with the boy's anger. Ready to hightail it out of there, I ran down the hallway, the bulbs bursting in quick succession behind me, sending sparks flying.


	11. Infiltration

**A Clash of Covens**

**Chapter 10 - Infiltration**

**Marcus POV**

I lay back in my plush four-poster bed, sated after several hours of passionate lovemaking. Sulpicia made me feel so alive, and I relished the feeling. It had been countless centuries since a woman had last touched me, and I was catching up on lost time. Thankfully, Aro's magical siren had no qualms about reaquainting me with my sexuality—she even introduced me to some rather modern activities.

The long-legged beauty snuggled into my side, one of her legs draped over my two, her elegant hand tracing patterns along my torso. Grunting in satisfaction, my fingertips grazed the side of her supple breast. With a heavy sigh, Sulpicia met my gaze and looked at me balefully with her beautiful, almond-shaped eyes and promptly ruined the mood.

"What will you do with him?"

She did not need to specify who she meant. She was terribly worried about young Anthony. Sighing, I told her the same as I had every night since he'd arrived. "My sweet Sulpicia, the child is merely the bait. I have no intention of hurting him. He is well guarded; Raul and Paolo know not to allow Caius or Jane to enter his room."

Unlike past discussions on this topic, this time she did not let the conversation end there. She was determined to press on with her opinion. "It is unlikely they would be able to stop Jane if she has a mind to get past them."

"True," I conceded. "Luckily, she cares not about him. She only wants revenge on whichever vampire killed her brother, and she knows it wasn't the child. No harm will come to him."

"But his parents and his family will be harmed, which will, in turn, harm the child with a pain that will last for the rest of his days," she stated wisely.

Feeling uncomfortable with her seriousness, I tried to make light of the situation. "Are you suggesting I harm him after all, to spare him long-lasting psychological trauma?"

Sulpicia rolled her eyes as she stroked my bare chest. "No, I am suggesting you consider showing some mercy. Who are you becoming? My late husband?" Her mocking tone turned serious again as she reached up and cupped my face gently in her hands. "Aro was killed because they were protecting the child you now hold in a cell. This is a mistake. Had I been in their shoes, I would have killed those who threatened my unborn progeny without a second thought, no matter who it was. Please consider letting the prisoners go. I lie with you because you are different than _he_ was."

I did not have an answer for that. She was absolutely right. If I continued down this path of vengeance, then I was no different than the man I so reviled. For centuries, I had taken a backseat to Aro's megalomania, and now that I knew he had been responsible for Didyme's death, I longed for him to be somehow resurrected so I could tear him to pieces and burn him to ash myself.

I could never be like him. I _would_ never be like him.

Tilting her head up, Sulpicia kissed me soundly. She pulled back slightly, and her breath whispered against my lips.

"You are better than that, Marcus."

**Edward POV**

The mating pull drew Carlisle and I toward Volterra without much plan. There was no denying the call, and we were powerless against it. As we ran for the next two days toward the Italian city from Zurich, we had no real strategy. The vague plan before the abduction of our mates involved trying to talk sense into the Volturi, but now all bets were off. Carlisle and I were so desperate that we were ready to brawl.

The Denalis were now certain that whatever fate befell Esme and Jake had also taken Irina. The wolves felt the same way, and thankfully, our vampire allies did not argue—they wanted Volturi rule to end and would do anything to see that happen. All of the minds that traveled with us were focused on fighting; there seemed to be no other option. The Volturi were pulling out all the stops, and so would we. We would fight first and ask questions later. This was not normally the Cullen way, but they had touched on our most primal instincts by abducting our mates.

As we approached the city, I used my ability to avoid the sentries placed at various points throughout. They could smell us though, and were quick to alert the vampires at the castle. I warned the others to be on their guard, but it was unnecessary; we were all ready to bite, tear, and burn any vampire that got in our way. The sentries were smart enough not to attack such a large group of us on their own, and we reached the castle undeterred. Esme and Jacob's trail disappeared into the sewers, and the group swiftly tracked them underground, until we reached the bowels of the old castle. The combined scent suddenly split, and unconsciously, Carlisle and I began to run in opposite directions.

The other vampires followed after my father, but the pack went with me, following the scent of their Alpha. I broke ahead of my group, letting the tugging in my chest guide me. I was vaguely aware of Carlisle shouting after me in his mind that we should stay together, but I could do nothing to stop my body from finding its other half. My ability would allow me to find them later, after I was reunited with my mate, and then we would search out our son together. To my surprise and gratitude, Rosalie and Emmett made the split second decision to follow me, and together with the wolves, went to rescue my mate and my son.

**Carlisle POV**

My rational mind was frightened that my first-bitten son was no longer by my side, but the vampire within me overruled the need to keep my boy near. The pull of my mate was stronger than anything else—stronger than even my need for blood. In this moment, with my mate lost, but oh-so-close, I felt every bit the feral beast I was meant to be. Had a human crossed me now, I wasn't sure I would be able to resist the temptation, so strong was my instinctual drive.

Esme's scent grew stronger as we entered an old section of the sewer. Unused for as long as the Volturi had been here, it was still damp and dank, but I barely noticed as my legs pressed on ever faster in pursuit of my mate.

"I can smell Irina!" Tanya cried with joy as we ran. So it was true—Irina hadn't betrayed us; she had merely fallen victim to whatever tactics the Volturi had imposed on my wife. My conscience flared with guilt for having vilified the woman in my mind.

The tugging in my chest grew as tight as a vise as Esme's scent overwhelmed me. I stopped in my tracks. Thankfully, vampires have quick reflexes, or I would have caused a pile-up behind me.

"Carlisle!"

Esme's voice was calling me faintly from above. She could smell me, too. I breathed a sigh of relief that she was alive.

"Esme! Where are you?"

"I'm in a cell. It's a dungeon of some kind. The bars are titanium. Irina is here, too. We're trapped!"

"Don't worry, darling, I'll get you out of there!"

Unfortunately, I had no idea how I was going to do that. I knew she was just above me, but there was no way to reach her from below. We would have to exit the sewers and find her from inside the castle. So close, yet so far. A frustrated growl escaped my chest and reverberated in the cavernous chamber.

Benjamin stepped through the crowd behind me and began to feel the walls.

"What are you doing?" Kate questioned him.

"Looking for a weakness in the foundation," he replied, distracted by his quest.

He must have found what he was looking for in the ceiling a few yards down the tunnel. Chuckling darkly, he pressed his hands against the stones. A current left his palms and traveled through the old ceiling. They vibrated and began to crumble as he swept his hands over the weak points in the foundation, creating a small earthquake. I could hear Esme cry out in surprise as chunks of rock rained over Benjamin until a good-sized hole appeared above him. The pile of rubble left over from the collapse created a makeshift stepstool to climb up through the hole he'd created.

I swiftly made my way to the pile and looked up through the gash, only to be met by the smiling face of my wife, crying with joy and relief.

"I knew you'd come," she cried through dry tears.

I scrambled up the stones and leapt the short distance up into the cell, gathering her in my arms and twirling her in a circle. I was speechless with joy at our reunion, and I never wanted to let her go again.

But, unfortunately, our job wasn't nearly complete.

**Anthony POV**

I knew my Papa was here. I heard him cry Daddy's name. Edward, that's my Daddy. And I knew my Papa's voice. That mean man William was a liar. I was so mad when he lied that Papa wasn't here, that I started shaking and the lights turned on and off real quick. That really scared him, and he ran off and left me alone again. I was alone a long time after he left, but it gave me time to think of how to get out of this room and find my Papa. I tried the doorknob, but it wouldn't turn. I was getting hungry. That meant Raul would bring me food soon. When he came, I would get real mad again. Maybe the lights would scare him too.

**xXxXx**

The key was turning in the lock and I could smell a hamburger outside the door. My stomach growled real loud, but I tried not to think about it. I had to find Papa; I didn't have time to eat. I could hear him whimpering again not long ago, so I knew he was close by. It made me mad that they were making Papa sad.

As the door opened, I thought of everything that made me mad. I was mad that I couldn't see Daddy and Papa, and Lee-Lee and Gramma, and Grampa and Auntie Al and Auntie Rosie and Unca Em and Unca Jazz, and I really wanted to watch Thomas the Tank!

When Raul stepped into the room, the lights started going crazy. He looked around like he was scared and dropped the plate on the floor. I took my chance while he was looking at the lights and scooted around his legs, running down the hallway. I could hear him yell after a few moments, and I turned to see him looking down the other way of the hall. Then he looked my way. When he saw me, his hands clenched in fists, and he started to come after me.

But I was free! I was gonna see Papa! And he wasn't gonna stop me! My head felt hot, I was so angry. I heard a buzzing noise and there was a bunch of 'splosions. Bulbs broke and sparks fell from the walls. Raul stopped coming, so I turned around and ran. I followed the scent of Papa until I came to a white door after a few turns in the hallways.

I could hear my Papa; he was still whimpering. I heard a cracking sound and Papa let out a quiet yelp. I wrapped my arms around my belly. Papa sounded like he hurt. Then there was a voice inside; I knew it was the mean old yellow-haired vampire.

"Are you going to cry now, dog? How I love making dogs cry!" He laughed so mean.

I couldn't listen anymore—I had to help my Papa.

I tried the doorknob, and it wasn't locked. When I opened the door, I saw my Papa tied to the wall. He didn't have any clothes, and he had so many boo-boos that were bloody.

It made me so very angry.


	12. The Cruel Shall Fall

**A Clash of Covens**

**Chapter 11 - The Cruel Shall Fall**

**Leah POV**

The other wolves and I followed Edward, Emmett, and Rosalie down the dark, dank sewer beneath the castle. I could feel the pull of the imprint getting stronger and stronger with every step. We had broken from the rest of the group when Edward scented Jake...it seemed to completely sidetrack him from the original goal of finding Anthony.

_Guess he cares more about finding his mate than his son, the asshole._

Edward whirled to face me and snarled something fierce. "How dare you!" he hissed. "Of course, I want my son. But they are more likely to hurt Jacob."

I felt a flash of shame for judging him. Besides, I knew how devastating it was to be apart from your imprint. I only hoped he was right about them not hurting the baby.

Rosalie, my new-found friend, scratched my ear in solidarity. "Don't worry, Leah, I care more about the baby, too. The wolf can rot for all I care."

A rumble of lupine growls resounded in the tunnel. Edward took a threatening step toward his sister, and Emmett mirrored him in her defense.

"Geez, I was only kidding," Rosalie said with a roll of her eyes.

"Hardly the time for jokes," Edward replied, sneering.

"Come on, we're wasting time," Emmett reasoned, turning back to the matter at hand.

We pressed onward and ran for several minutes. With each passing second, my nerves frayed a little more. As we gained ground, Anthony's scent filled my nostrils. He was near, very near. Ahead of the group, Edward came to a full stop where my imprint's scent was most pungent. My heart beat faster—we had found him. Anthony's scent was so thick, it was undeniable. The space above us had to be where my boy was being held.

"Do you hear him?" Rosalie's voice was barely a whisper.

Edward shook his head. "I can sense his mind, but not close by. He isn't here."

My heart sank. Where had they taken him? I shuddered to think what they might be doing to my poor baby. Anthony must be terrified.

Seth sidled up and nuzzled his face against mine. _We'll find him, sis. He's close._

"How do we get in?" Emmett hissed under his breath.

"I don't know," Edward said, sadly. "There are no openings from down here. We'll have to find an exit and double back." He sounded utterly defeated.

"Fuck that," Emmett declared. "Do you hear anyone nearby?"

Edward shook his head, but he smiled faintly at his brother as he did so. Emmett started jumping in place, touching the ceiling with each upward motion.

 _Feeling for a weak spot_ , Sam thought with awe. He was jealous of Emmett's idea.

"Eureka!" Emmett whisper shouted, and he began to punch at the spot with each leap. The stones began to crumble above him.

 _Must be a covered over drain there or something_ , Quil thought.

In no time, Emmett punched a sizable hole in the floor of the room above, and Anthony's concentrated scent rushed through the opening. Unwilling to wait, I backed up several feet and took off at a run, launching myself off the side wall at an angle. My powerful legs pushed me upward through the hole. I grasped the edge with my claws, but the stone floor was too slippery. My paws scrabbled against them, searching for a foothold, when I felt a furry head push against my rump. It was enough momentum to launch me into the room.

Looking around as the others made their way in through the hole, I noted the old toys and the small bed in the plain, white-washed room. Anthony had definitely been here, but he wasn't here anymore. Turning around, I noticed a tray of food upended on the floor by the door, which was open wide. Had he escaped somehow? Warring emotions filled me—pride and joy that Anthony had tried to escape, and abject terror that he had been caught.

Beside me, Edward swallowed audibly at my thoughts. He motioned the others nearer, and they gathered around. "I hear them both now," he whispered, his voice pained. "Jacob is being tortured. Anthony heard him and is looking for him."

The mental voices of the pack raged when they heard the Alpha was being harmed. They were ready to kill. I was equally enraged on Jacob's behalf, but also relieved that Anthony was okay. But we had to get to him before he was found.

"We go left out the door," Edward instructed. "Follow my lead."

We entered the hall, our pace quick but careful. The vampires moved silently, but the wolves had to lean on the heel of our paws to keep our claws from clicking down the hall. This area seemed largely unused, with cobwebs where the wall and ceiling met, and an aroma of musty air choking my airways. There were also several burst light bulbs along the way, the shards of which we wolves took care to navigate around. As we crept behind Edward, I realized we were following Anthony's trail, and the tugging in my chest grew tighter. It could only mean I was close to my imprint; we were going in the right direction.

"Someone's coming!" Edward hissed. "He is looking for his friend, Raul, but he's scented us. He'll be here momentarily."

We all came to a halt, with Emmett, Sam, and Paul rushing to the front. The wolves flanked Emmett on either side—the three of them ready to tear a vamp apart.

"Raul?! What the hell is going on?" a male called out, his voice echoing in the hall. He must be young and stupid, giving himself away like that.

The male rounded the corner and came face-to-face with the giant vampire and two massive, snarling wolves. His mouth gaped wide with shock as he looked at Sam, then Paul, and back again. Emmett grinned wide, flashing all of his teeth, and the three of them were on the Volturi vampire, the sounds of stone crunching filling the hall as they ripped him to shreds.

When he was in a million pieces, Rosalie spoke. "Does anyone have a lighter?"

"It doesn't matter," Edward replied. "It'll take forever for him to knit himself back together. Let's go."

We sidestepped the wriggling pieces of the dismembered vampire and pressed on at a faster pace. This Raul guy might appear at any moment, and we couldn't be delayed any longer.

Anthony's trail grew ever more potent as we made our way through the labyrinthine hallways. Jacob's scent grew more pungent as well. My sharp ears heard a cracking sound and a quiet yelp. It had to be Jacob. Edward's step faltered, and he whimpered like he was in pain. The wolves all growled ferociously in their minds, not daring to make an audible sound.

A cruel voice rang out. "Are you going to cry now, dog? How I love making dogs cry!" The laughter of a crazy man chilled me to the bone.

We rounded a corner, and there was an open door at the end of the hall, light pouring out.

Anthony's small voice cried out, "Papa!" There was no fear in his tone, only rage.

**Jacob POV**

I never felt so weak in my life. I could focus on nothing but pain. Pain in my stomach—I hadn't eaten in God knows how long. Pain in my throat—what I wouldn't give for a sip of water. Pain in my wrists—it was a struggle to keep my elbows from bending, and the cuffs of the chains dug into my flesh. My muscles ached so badly; I focused most of my attention on keeping my knees from buckling so the chain around my neck didn't dig into my jaw, choking me with my own body weight. I felt like every inch of my skin was flayed open; I couldn't heal fast enough for lack of food and water. There was a tugging in my chest that constricted ever tighter. Maybe it was internal bleeding or a heart attack. I hoped it was, because then maybe I would die soon.

My foggy brain ached that I wished for death. I wanted to be strong, for Anthony, for Edward. But I'd resigned myself to the fact that there was no getting out of this hell.

The door creaked open, and I cringed. The yellow-haired motherfucker chuckled mercilessly as he closed the door behind him and walked slowly toward me, dragging his whip on the floor behind him with a menacing swishing noise. He stopped when he was directly in front of me, his sickly sweet breath tainting my oxygen. I forced myself to keep eye contact with him, his filmy red eyes sparkling with evil glee. Furrowing my brow, I steeled myself for the crack of his whip against my flank, but my constitution was too weak to keep the whimper of pain from leaking out.

"Keep quiet now, or your little freak boy will hear you, remember?" he taunted as he stepped back and let the whip fly again. This time I managed not to make a sound.

Sighing, Caius stroked his chin, looking thoughtfully into space. "You know, I grow tired of him. Perhaps when we are done here, I will introduce these tails to him."

"You wouldn't," I hissed through clenched teeth.

"Oh, no? What about this experience makes you think I have any mercy?" he replied with a dark chuckle.

I whispered, pleading with him, "He's just a baby."

"Ah, yes. The tears of a child always taste the sweetest."

I gathered as much saliva as my dried out mouth could muster and spat the sticky glob at the vile bastard. It landed square in the middle of his forehead with a satisfying splatter.

Caius' fist tightened around his whip and his eyes flashed with rage. "You will live to regret that, mongrel!" He was suddenly right before me, grabbing my face in his free hand and squeezing tight, bruising my jaw.

"You would do well not to do such things. You see, you are all mine now, cur. I will break your will down to nothing," he snarled. He pushed my face away from his and released it, my cheeks aching.

"Edward will save me," I whispered heatedly through the pain.

"You think so? Maybe, but not before I claim your pert little ass and make you my bitch." He was behind me in a flash, and the tails of the whip cracked against my bare ass, reopening wounds that had only just begun to heal. The physical and emotional pain overwhelmed me, and I felt a tear of defeat escape down my cheek.

"Are you going to cry now, dog? How I love making dogs cry!" he exclaimed, laughing gleefully.

I heard the all-too-familiar sound of the door creaking open. The welcome scent reached my nose just as the voice reached my ears.

"Papa!"

I looked toward the door to see my baby boy standing there; he seemed unharmed, and he looked more pissed than I'd ever seen. He fixed his eyes on Caius, and his body started shaking. It reminded me of the rapid vibration my body made before I shifted, only Anthony didn't turn. Caius only laughed at his anger.

"You leave my Papa alone!" he screamed, and the large hanging bulb in the center of the room flickered. Caius became distracted as the flickering grew faster.

Suddenly, a mass of creatures burst through the door too fast for my muddled brain to register what was going on. Maybe this was the end—my time had finally come. I could only hope they would spare my son; there was nothing I could do for him, strung up and defeated as I was.

"Jacob!" a very familiar voice cried. The constriction in my chest eased as wintry hands hugged my body, the scent of my vampire filling my nose. This had to be a dream.

"E...Edward?" I croaked, disbelieving.

"Yes, dear. I'm here. Oh God, look at you!" he cried, lightly running his hands over my marred skin.

Relief washed through me as reality set in. "Edward, you came!"

"Of course I did, darling."

His sweet breath washed over my face as he leaned in to kiss me. His lips on mine were chaste, but my body rejoiced at the reunion with my imprint. I was suddenly very aware that I was naked. Thankfully, Edward ignored my entirely inappropriate-for-the-situation thought. He turned around, facing away from me, shielding me from the scene before us with his body.

I could still see over his shoulder. Emmett and Caius were in a stand-off, circling each other, each trying to get the upper hand. There was shouting, but I couldn't make out the words in the chaos. Leah was against the far wall, her silvery mass of fur shielding Anthony from danger. My pack circled Emmett and Caius, waiting for a clear shot.

Suddenly, Rosalie burst forth and grabbed Caius by the arm, bending it back behind him. But Caius was more experienced, and he quickly maneuvered out of her grasp and grabbed her by the throat, squeezing tightly.

Anthony let out a cry of anguish and the flickering of the bulb intensified to a rapid strobe until the bulb burst. Caius let go of Rose as the room was showered with sparks and glass. The vampires ducked to avoid the sparks, but Caius' long hair was caught. His terrified shrieks echoed against the walls as the room was bathed in darkness, save for the fire raging on his head.In his distraction, the wolves moved in for the kill, tearing my captor to pieces. Emmett was giddy with adrenaline as he piled the dismembered body of Caius upon his flaming head, burning him to ash.

Emmett whooped softly, and the wolves looked triumphant as Edward and Rosalie easily snapped my shackles. Edward's strong arms caught me before my unsteady legs caused me to collapse, and we sank to the floor as he hugged me close. My wounds burned with pain, but I didn't care; my imprint came for me, and my son was safe and sound. Quil and Embry sidled up and nuzzled their heads into my sides; I scratched their ears in gratitude. Anthony rushed over, skirting the smoldering pile of ash, and threw himself into our waiting arms. We hugged each other tight, our little family reunited at last.

"Papa! Daddy! I missed you so much!" my son cried tearfully against my torn shoulder.

"You're okay now, baby. Everything's going to be okay," Edward reassured him.

Taking my arm from around Edward, I grasped Anthony by the shoulders, pulling him off me so I could see his face. "You saved me, Anthony. Thank you."

"I did?" he asked, confused.

"Yup. I always knew you were a special boy, and you made the lights break for me. That's what saved me."

"Really? I was so mad, Papa."

"I know you were."

"I never been that mad."

"We know, baby," Edward answered. "If you had, we would have known about your gift before."

"Gift?" Anthony was excited at the prospect. "I have a gift like you and Auntie Ali and Unca Jas?"

"You sure do," I said. "Special little guy, remember?"

Anthony's answering grin lit up his whole face, and he threw his arms around us both in his joy.

"I hate to break this up, guys, but it isn't over," Rosalie said gently. "We have to find the others."

"The others?" I asked, looking to Edward for answers.

"Yes, Esme was abducted too. The rest of the group is searching for her, and there is still Jane and Marcus to contend with." He looked to Anthony. "We might need you to get mad again. Think you can do that?" Anthony nodded vigorously, and Edward turned his attention back to me. "Can you walk?" he asked, worry in his tone.

I stood slowly. My muscles were weak, but my resolve for revenge made me strong. "Yeah, let's do this."

Emmett cleared his throat loudly. I glanced over at him to see he was in his boxers, holding his pants out to me. Rosalie and Leah were looking up and away, and my wolves chuffed with laughter.

"Oh, right, thanks," I said, accepting the pants and tugging them on.

Emmett smiled. "You're lucky I wore underwear today."


	13. Burn Like Me

**A Clash of Covens**

**Chapter 12 - Burn Like Me**

**Charlotte POV**

When Jasper got in touch with Peter and I, asking for our help, Peter was quick to agree. It didn't matter to him what Jasper needed help with—my mate felt forever in Jasper's debt after he allowed us to escape Maria's death sentence to his own potential detriment. I figured our debt repaid when we returned to free Jasper a few years later, but Peter remained in Jasper's back pocket. I questioned him about his loyalty—a rarity for vampires, as I understood it—and Peter merely shrugged and said, "He's the Major," as if that was some kind of explanation. I didn't press the issue; Peter and Jasper had a long and painful history before I had been turned, one that I surely would never fully understand.

That is how I found myself running in a pack of other vampires through the sewers of a small Italian city, to face off against the most powerful vampires in the world for the sake of Jasper's yellow-eyed father figure. Having met Carlisle several times over the years while visiting Jasper, I'd always gotten the impression that he was kind of soft. He was a loafer-wearing, do-gooder coven master who called his formidable group a family and treated them as equals. That just wasn't done in other covens, which was partly why Peter and I were nomadic. Carlisle's behavior was truly mystifying to me.

Watching him hug his "wife" as they chastely reunited did nothing to dispel that image. It was hard to believe he'd killed anyone, let alone Aro, a former friend of his, according to Jasper. But he had done it. He must have, or we wouldn't be here. Carlisle had amassed a rather large group of vampires to follow him into the extremely risky and dangerous situation, and not one had batted an eyelash. He even had wolves willing to help him! People just seemed to want to follow his lead, precisely because he was kind and harmless. It offended the other vampires that the Volturi would seek to hurt this easy-going, vegetarian doctor vampire, the pinnacle of goodness in our kind. Truly, who was a better person than Carlisle?

It was easy to see why Jasper would stay with him, especially after his rough beginning. Just about anyone would like to have that comfortable, happy life—if they could abstain from drinking human blood—and I was certain Carlisle would accept anyone who wanted to try.

Carlisle could easily rule the vampire population, as long as he didn't force his diet on us. These people wanted to follow him. They wanted him to succeed. The time for living in fear was coming to a close, and I was ready for it.

**Irina POV**

Jealously, I watched as Esme was reunited with her mate. As happy and relieved as I was to see my sisters, the joy I felt wasn't the same as having a mate—that was plain to see, living with Carmen and Eleazar. My connection to my sisters could never match the one they had.

Nevertheless, Tanya was overjoyed to have found me. She threw herself against the bars of Esme's cell, reaching through as though she wanted to hug me. "Irina!" she cried in relief. I mirrored her action, reaching through my own cell, but the gap between was too large for us to touch.

Esme and Carlisle pulled out of their tight embrace, holding each other apart a few inches so they could see one another's face.

"Did you save the baby?" Esme asked.

"No," Carlisle replied. "Edward broke from us to find Anthony and Jake. Now that we have you, we will find them."

"Irina and I know how they controlled us. Jane told us."

"She told you?" Carlisle was incredulous.

"I don't think she expected us to live to speak of it," Esme answered. She proceeded to tell him of Jane's confession as most of the other vampires listened in rapt attention.

Meanwhile, Eleazar came to join Tanya, along with Kate and a young Arab man. They tested the strength of the bars with their hands. Of course, their strength was no match for the titanium.

"Just as I remember them," Eleazar commented. "Too strong to break. They are meant to keep vampires in."

The Arab man scoffed. "We'll see about that. Help me out, Kate."

He grabbed hold of the bars and furrowed his brow, concentrating hard. The titanium began to shake, and Kate grabbed hold of the same two bars, adding her electricity to the Arab's apparent elemental power. They worked together to create fissures in the strong material, and the bars crumbled under their combined abilities with a loud explosive sound. The four vampires squeezed through the opening, and Kate and the Arab began to do the same thing to my cell. The boy was intensely powerful; maybe he would be mine if we came out of this alive. Glancing over at Esme's cell, I saw an older Arab man, watching his charge with a stern look. He seemed like kind of a hard-ass; maybe I would rethink moving in on his progeny.

Eventually, the bars gave way in their hands, and Tanya rushed through the opening, Kate close behind. They grabbed me in a tight bear hug, and we all wept dry tears at our reunion.

"Oh, Irina!" Tanya cried. "I thought you'd betrayed us! I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I would have thought that, too."

An abrupt silence overtook the vampires in Esme's cell. My sisters and I looked over, and everyone was staring at Alice, who had blanked out, overcome by one of her visions. A chill flashed down my spine; this couldn't be good. Thirty seconds stretched on endlessly before Alice blinked rapidly and gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.

"What did you see?" Carlisle asked.

"Jane. She heard the commotion. She's coming with Demetri and two others to investigate."

As if on cue, Jane's voice rang out, all too near. "What in the hell is going on in here?!" she roared. My body shook in fear with the memory of the pain she could inflict. We all rushed to squeeze out of the cells in anticipation of the standoff.

The dungeon door burst open, and Jane rushed in, followed by Demetri and two Guards, just as Alice had predicted. Jane gaped in surprise as she took in the large mass of vampires standing before her, but she quickly recovered and began to use her ability to burn as many of us as she could. Her ability could not reach us all however, and those of us at the back rushed forward and around her to fight the Volturi members who stood behind.

Tanya was caught in the crossfire of Jane's talent, writhing and screaming on the floor. I ran to my sister, kneeling beside her and hugging her to me in an attempt at comfort. Suddenly, I was ripped away from her by a pair of strong arms. I struggled in their grip, but the vampire was many times stronger than me. He shifted my body into one arm, and grabbed my hair with the other, pulling back sharply. Pain seared through my neck, and I heard loud cracking noises. I screamed in terror, but the sound was cut off as my head left my body.

All I could see was the stone floor rushing toward my face. My brain kept telling my arms to reach out and brace my fall, but my body was no longer attached to me. My face collided with the floor with a resounding thud, and my head rolled several feet. I heard Carmen screaming my name, and Jane's insidious laughter above me. Then, Carmen's screaming was cut short, and her head rolled into my line of vision. Our gazes met and, unable to speak or scream, we communicated our terror through our wild eyes. It wasn't long before another head was tossed over—a male vampire with brown hair pulled into a ponytail.

The room was filled with shrieks and growls, stone bodies colliding and cracking apart. A long shadow was cast over our three heads, and my eyes flicked up to look out of my peripheral vision. Demetri stood over us, a lit match between thumb and forefinger. He grinned maniacally, but before he could drop the match upon our disembodied heads, Jasper and a blond vampire jumped on him from behind, quickly taking him out. The match landed near Carmen's head, but a foot stomped it out before it could cause any damage.

Jane roared with rage, and Jasper and his friend were suddenly on the floor, writhing in her burn. Jane stepped into my line of vision, her face etched with pleasure as she watched them flail and scream. Lost in her sadistic torture, she didn't realize Carlisle and Esme were coming up behind her. They shared a look, then pounced on the evil little girl, breaking her concentration. Alice entered my sightline to comfort Jasper, and another female did the same with Jasper's friend, as the Stregoni Benefici and his wife tore the offending child to pieces.

**Alice POV**

Charlotte and I held tight to our mates as the four of us stared at Carlisle and Esme, mouths agape. Amun and Benjamin gathered the remains of Jane, Demetri, and the other two Guards and were fanning the flames of their funeral pyre.

Nearby, the beheaded members of our party were painfully fusing back together. Tanya had carefully positioned Irina's head back on her neck, and sat beside her as her vampiric skin created new connections. Eleazar did the same for Carmen, as Kate did for Garrett. The fusion process only took a few minutes, but the three would be weak until they fed again. They would have to be guarded as we moved on to find the others.

Carlisle looked faintly sick to his stomach; he wasn't one to condone murder. Even though Jane had abducted his grandson, imprisoned his wife, and turned her talent on his surrogate son, he still felt guilty for taking a life. Esme carried no such guilt on her shoulders; she looked rather pleased with herself.

My adopted father was a good man with as pure a heart as a vampire could have, and he hated having to carry out the duties of a coven master. Thankfully, his misgivings didn't stop him from doing what needed to be done. That much was evidenced by Aro's death, and now Jane's. Yes, Carlisle would be an ideal leader for our kind, given the chance. I'd seen it as a possible future. However, I'd also seen darkness. Seeing potential futures was a debilitating burden to carry at times, especially since I couldn't tell them everything that might happen—if I did, everyone would live in fear, and that was no way to live. Besides, the future wasn't set in stone; the future could always change.

Suddenly, I was transported from this reality to an alternate one. In my mind's eye, Vladimir and Stefan were standing in a grand-looking circular room with a large drain in the center. They faced three ancient, ornate thrones, and Marcus stood before them. His arms were outstretched, his palms facing the Romanians in a pose of surrender. And then the Romanians descended upon him, ripping him to shreds.

The vision dissipated and the sights and sounds of the dungeon came back to me. Glancing around me, I found that everyone was looking at me expectantly, and Stefan and Vladimir were indeed nowhere to be found. I wondered when exactly they had left us.

"Alice?" Jasper prompted.

"The Romanians. They've gone to find Marcus. They plan to kill him."

"No," Carlisle said emphatically. "I know Marcus. There has to be another side to this. I need to speak to him. We _must_ get to him first."

**Vladimir POV**

The time was nigh for vengeance.

Centuries ago, the Volturi overthrew our coven so that they might be the rulers of our kind. They called us decadent and blatant in our ways. Indeed we were. They claimed that vampires would fare better if they were hidden from humankind, lurking in the night and keeping our existence a secret. We Romanians saw no problem with existing in the open; the fear of humans made their blood taste that much sweeter. But, while we were living our lives with all the pleasures that came with abundance and consumption, the Volturi were strategically picking their members, turning those with talents that would serve them well and defeat our coven. Miraculously, Stefan and I were able to escape destruction, but we still longed to live as we once did; openly, not under the thumb of humanity.

I cared not for Carlisle's mission, but it was the perfect excuse to get into Volterra, protected by the many talents of the benevolent vampire's group. Now that we were in, we would exact our revenge on the remaining Triad. Marcus and Caius would finally pay for the destruction of our coven, and we would be free to live as we pleased once more.

* * *

**_Volturi Deaths So Far:_ **

_Consequence of Heat - Aro, Santiago, Ubaldo, Chelsea, Felix, Alec_

_A Clash of Covens - Paolo, Caius, Jane, Demetri (and a couple of nameless Guards)_


	14. The Last Stand

**A Clash of Covens**

 

**Chapter 13: The Last Stand**

 

**Marcus POV**

 

I watched the door with hunger, tapping my fingers against the arm of my throne anxiously. Heidi was taking longer than usual to return with our meal. It had been a few weeks since I fed last, and my throat yearned for the soothing elixir of terrified tourist blood. Also impatiently waiting were Wilhelm and Roberto, Athenodora, and my beautiful Supulcia. Renata sulked in the shadows, still racked with guilt over not having followed Aro to Forks. She could have saved him, it was true, but Aro had been wildly overconfident, not fearing one moment for his own life. What a mistake that proved to be.

 

“Where is Caius?” Sulpicia asked. “I have never known him to be late for a meal.”

 

“Yes, it is rather curious,” Athenodora replied. “I will check and see if he lurks in our quarters.” In an instant, she was gone.

 

The remainder of us sat in companionable silence for a time, until the sound of the heavy, wooden doors being thrown open roused us from our thirst-addled thoughts. Raul stood before me, eyes wild and gasping unnecessarily. Hyperventilating vampires always put me on alert to danger, as we only breathed like that when our brains were overtaxed by anxiety.

 

“Raul, get ahold of yourself. What is wrong?”

 

“The…the child. He’s…he’s…” Raul stuttered.

 

My chest tightened at the thought of something bad happening to the boy. Was that where Caius disappeared to?

 

“Out with it, Raul!” I demanded.

 

“…escaped.”

 

I breathed an internal sigh of relief, though, on the outside, I maintained my composure. “Do continue.”

 

Taking a breath to settle himself, Raul regaled me with the recent events.

 

“I went to bring him his dinner, and the lights were flickering on and off. It caught me off guard, and I dropped his meal. When I went to pick it up, he skirted around me and took off running down the hall. I chased after him, but the hall lights began flickering as well, so fast, until the bulbs burst. I took shelter from the sparks, and when they died down, he was gone. I am so sorry, Marcus.” He bowed his head and clasped his hands behind his back, awaiting his punishment. But I was not going to punish him. I was not Caius.

 

“Have you any idea where he’s gone?” I questioned.

 

“He ran off in the direction his father is being held in.”

 

I sat back and closed my eyes, gripping the arms of my chair tightly. To Raul, I must have looked angry, but I was worried for that child. If he found his father and Caius was also there, what would become of the boy?

 

I did not have a chance to dwell on it further, as the doors opened again. Hoping it was Heidi, I opened my eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of my two old archenemies. The pair of Romanians grinned broadly, their red eyes sparkling against the chalky white of their skin. They looked much like myself in that regard.

 

Standing up from my throne, I spread my arms out in welcome, as I had seen Aro do on many occasions. “Vladimir, Stefan. To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the two of you.”

 

Stefan tsked. “Oh, Marcus. You have no idea what is about to happen, do you?”

 

“Heidi is about to return with my meal,” I replied calmly, although a part of me was growing concerned as to their purpose.

 

“That is a meal you will be missing,” Vladimir hissed.

 

“Carlisle and his army are in your dungeons, lighting that demon girl aflame. They come for you next, I assure you. But all they will find when they arrive is ash,” Stefan elaborated, taking a few steps toward me. I did not budge, not wanting to show any sign of fear or weakness.

 

“We’ve been waiting fifteen hundred years to repay you for destroying our coven,” Vladimir went on. He glanced around the room at the other vampires, all frozen in shock and terror. If I was to meet my end, surely the Romanians would eradicate them, too.

 

“But where is Caius?” Vladimir continued. “He deserves to feel the brunt of our wrath, perhaps even more than you do.”

 

At that moment, Athenodora returned. “He was not in there—” She stopped in her tracks as the Romanians turned to face her. Her eyes widened to an impossible size at the sight of her former comrades. She had been one of their coven mates centuries ago, but when we overthrew them, Caius had spared her, stealing her away to make her his mate.

 

“Athenodora,” Stefan purred. “How nice to see you. How long has it been, a couple of centuries?”

She did not get the chance to respond before the doors swung open again, and a large group of vampires entered the hall, led by Carlisle himself. Athenodora flashed over to the relative safety of our friends as the party of angry vampires advanced.

 

Stefan sighed, throwing his hands up in annoyance. “An opportunity missed!”

 

“Carlisle won’t allow us to kill him until he’s heard what Marcus has to say,” Vladimir muttered. He turned to Carlisle and spoke louder. “When the time comes, let us at him. He has much to answer for with us.”

 

Carlisle’s eyes narrowed at the two revenge-seeking vampires, but he gave them no response. Knowing they were no match for Carlisle’s army, and thus, had no chance at eliminating me until Carlisle said so, the pair reluctantly fell back as Carlisle drew closer to me. I recognized some of the vampires behind him as his family, from the microchips embedded on the women, but he had accrued a fair quantity of vampires from around the world to stand with him.

 

Before anything could happen, the doors swung open yet again. Giant wolves led the way into the chamber, lips drawn back over their teeth, drooling and snarling with ferocity. My friends huddled together, quaking with terror at the sight of them. I too was afraid, but I had to stand my ground. The end was nigh for me, I could feel it. I was not undeserving of death, but I hoped Carlisle would allow me to speak before he ordered my dismemberment.

 

Behind the huge wolves was Anthony, riding on the back of a smaller gray wolf, and flanked by two of Carlisle’s progeny. Edward and his mate followed close behind, and they all advanced to take their places beside Carlisle. The wolves seemed to be their first line of defense, flanking the Cullen family where they stood at the head of the rest of the group.

 

Edward’s wolf leaned heavily against his shoulder. He was well and truly beaten, his tan skin marked with open lash wounds. His cheeks and eyes were sunken with hunger, and his weakened muscles struggled to hold him upright. The pants he wore hung loose on his hips; not his own, I noted as my eyes fell upon the big vampire clad in undershorts. Caius was a cruel man in theory, but I had never witnessed the effects of his torture firsthand. Remembering him speak of past victims made me shudder. This wolf got off easy.

 

"Well, it looks like everyone is assembled. But where is Caius?" Vladimir demanded.

 

Stefan sneered at Athenodora. “Yes, where is your odious husband?”

 

“Caius is a pile of ash in his chamber of torture," Edward growled. Sulpicia gasped, and my eyes trained on Athenodora.

 

She sighed in relief, her eyes looking skyward. “At last.”

 

“Two down, one to go. What do you wait for, Carlisle?” Vladimir bit out. “No one will stop you. End him!”

 

A tiny voice rang out, echoing in the chamber. “No!” Anthony cried. “Don’t hurt him! He was nice to me!” He struggled against the blonde beauty’s iron grip, trying to run to me.

 

“Honey,” she whispered, even though we all could hear her words. “He is the one who decided to take you away from us in the first place.”

 

It was time to set the record straight. I did not want to meet my end without first being able to explain myself. Carlisle was a fair man, and I knew he would let me say my piece. I met his gaze, and spoke to him directly.

 

“The child’s abduction was a means to an end. Jane, Caius, and I wanted to avenge Aro’s death, and we devised a plan to get you to come here, Carlisle. It is true, at first I thought nothing of the child being used as bait. I thought him an abomination, a freak. But when he arrived and I first laid eyes on him, I realized he was just a scared little boy, an unwitting product of a supernatural circumstance. So I sought to protect him from Caius and Jane, both so strung out on revenge that they only saw the boy as a tool, easily discarded. I even installed two trusted guards to protect his room. Raul here,” I pointed to the cowering vampire, “and Paolo, who has the ability to deflect Jane’s fiery gaze, much in the same way Renata protected Aro.” Renata groaned in sorrow from the shadows. I wondered where Paolo could be.

 

“We killed him, too,” Edward replied to my thought.

 

I stared into Carlisle’s golden eyes, willing him to hear me. “Carlisle, believe what I say to be the truth. I never wanted to hurt the child. I was catatonic after Didyme’s death, as you were witness to. When Aro and Chelsea failed to return to Volterra, I learned that it was she who held me here and made me complacent. When it was obvious that Aro was dead, Sulpicia revealed that Aro had killed my mate—his own sister—to keep me from fleeing Volterra with her and living a happy, peaceful life.”

 

There were several gasps that resounded through the chamber at this revelation. Still, I continued my defense.

 

“I participated in this farcical heist, there is no denying that. At the time, I hoped the end result would be my death by your hands. Now, I have found love again with Sulpicia, and she has shown me the error of my ways. All I wish for is freedom from this place. I want nothing to do with this—I never truly did. I have been trapped here for centuries. You, Carlisle, have the power to free me.”

 

Carlisle was silent for several long minutes as he considered my speech. The only sounds in the room where the breaths of the wolves and the child. Finally, Carlisle looked to Edward, whose attention had been focused on me the whole time. Carlisle’s second-in-command, the mind reader. Only he would know for sure if what I said was the truth. Edward’s gaze met Carlisle’s, and he gave his sire the all-important nod of approval.

 

“He lies!” Vladimir shouted. “He stole the child! He needs to die!”

 

Carlisle looked sharply at Vladimir, though his tone was calm. “But he kept Anthony safe, Vladimir.” The benevolent leader turned back toward me and looked me squarely in the eyes. “Marcus, I have known you a long time. We’ve had many frank discussions of philosophy, religion, and science. You never once tried to dissuade me from my lifestyle. I know you, Marcus. You are not an evil man.”

 

My body sagged in relief at his words. Carlisle remembered our past as well as I did. We were friends, allies. It was Aro and Caius that pushed him around and ultimately made him want to leave Italy. I was filled with hope that Carlisle would allow me to leave and live a quiet life with my dear Sulpicia.

 

I beseeched him. “In truth, Carlisle, I do not want this life. I never did. As the last remaining member of the Volturi triad, I would be happy to cede control of the vampire world to you. You would make a better leader than we ever did.”

 

Carlisle, my old friend, gave me a small smile. He stood tall, his victorious attitude barely disguised. I believed what I said—he would be a strong leader, evidenced in no small part by the many vampires, both red and golden-eyed, who were willing to follow him here.

 

Carlisle spoke loudly enough for his voice to echo in the chamber, authority dripping from every word. “Marcus, I believe what you say. Edward has assured me of the truth behind your words, and it is obvious that Anthony is fond of you. I have reason to believe that, while your initial intentions were unseemly, you had a change of heart. That is honorable in my eyes. You are free to go.” He turned around to face his comrades, arms outstretched. “It seems our mission here is complete. Let us leave in peace, putting all differences to rest.” He directed that last bit to the Romanians, who grumbled, eyes flashing, before taking their leave.

 

Sulpicia came to me, and I caught her hand in mine. Together, we descended the few steps from the throne landing, chairs that would henceforth remain empty. We approached Carlisle, and I dropped down to one knee, looking up at him. I took his hand in mine and raised it to my lips, kissing it reverently.

 

“Thank you, Carlisle. I will not forget your kindness. I am in your debt, old friend.”

 

Carlisle smiled with compassion before taking him hand from mine. “Go, Marcus. Enjoy your existence in peace.”

 

With that, Carlisle summoned his troops toward the door. “Come, let us leave this godforsaken place.”

 

As they trickled out of the room, per Carlisle’s command, there was one more thing I felt I needed to do. Following the group to the door, I took a torch from the wall, lighting the heavy drapes aflame. The fire caught quickly, and rapidly spread along the rear wall. It would not take long for the room to be engulfed, along with the rest of the castle.

 

Carlisle quirked an eyebrow at my action, and I sought to explain. “This castle has been the site of so much death and destruction. It is only right to destroy it.”

 

“But Marcus, what of the others in the Guard?” Carlisle asked.

 

“If they do not have the wherewithal to disperse, let them burn.”


	15. Denouement

 

**A Clash of Covens**

**Chapter 14: Denouement**

 

**Anthony POV**

 

After we left that stuffy old castle, Grandpa brought us all to a fancy hotel for the night. We couldn't go right home because Papa was in a bad way. Daddy and Grandpa didn't think he should go on an airplane yet. So us and the wolf pack were all in this hotel.

 

The other vampires I didn't know left, though.

 

I was in a room with Leah that was attached to Papa and Daddy's room. She was hugging me tight. It felt nice. I was safe and back with my family, but it was hard to forget what happened while I was gone.

 

The stuff that happened in the white room with the yellow-haired vampire was scary, and I clutched Leah tighter as I remembered how my Papa looked, bloody and chained to the wall, and how mad I got. When I got angry, I made a fire happen, and it killed that bad vampire. I knew I should feel bad that someone died, but I didn’t. My dads weren’t mad at me; they called what I did a gift. I helped save my Papa, they’d said, and that made me feel proud.

 

“What are you thinking about, Ant?” Leah asked nicely. I think she was worried that I was hugging her tighter.

 

“The fire I made. I made that bad man die. I'm glad Papa is okay, but I don't want to hurt people.”

 

Tears welled up in my eyes. Leah swept them away with her thumbs before they could roll down my cheeks.

 

“Oh, honey, of course you don't. It’s so new for you, but don't worry. We will help you learn to control it.” She stroked the hair back from my forehead and smiled softly. “It’s a really cool gift, buddy. You saved the day in there.”

 

I ducked my head bashfully, and we didn't talk for a little bit. In the quiet, I started thinking about Marcus. I thought for sure Grandpa would hurt him for taking me, but he didn’t. Grandpa listened to me when I said Marcus was nice. That’s why Grandpa is so great.

 

“I’m glad Marcus will be okay. He was nice to me.”

 

Leah just smiled, her lips tight.

 

“My papa will be okay, right, Lee-Lee?” I asked even though I knew he would be, because Leah seemed upset I mentioned Marcus.

 

“Of course he will be. Your grandpa will take good care of him.”

 

“Yeah, he's the best doctor ever.”

 

“He sure is,” she said with a chuckle. “Now, no more worrying from you. I think I saw Day at the Diesels on Cable On Demand...”

 

I clapped my hands in excitement. My favorite Thomas movie!

 

She got the show all set and pressed the play button. As the commercials started, I realized I needed to have a cuddle.

 

“Can you be the wolfy?”

 

“Sure, kid. Anything you want. Close your eyes,” she said, and I closed them. I heard her take her clothes off and a popping noise. Then I knew I could open my eyes again. She didn’t need to tell me to. Not that she could talk when she was a wolf anyway.

 

When I opened my eyes, my silver Leah-wolf was curled up on the floor by my feet. I moved down to lay against her belly and watch my Thomas show. Her belly moved up and down when she breathed and I could hear her heart beating. She was so warm and snuggly. I buried my face in Leah’s neck, and her throat rumbled—she loved when I did that. I missed her so much while I was away. It made me feel better to have her close by, and to have my dads back with me too. I was happy to have my family back, even though we weren’t home yet.

 

I hoped we could go home soon.

 

 

 

**Edward POV**

 

Sixteen hours after the standoff in Volterra, I found myself sitting vigil by Jacob’s bedside as he slept dreamless. Carlisle had given him a sedative to knock him out and help speed up his body's natural healing power. An intravenous drip was embedded in his arm, providing the nutrients he was sorely lacking after being starved for several days.

 

Though the hotel in Florence did not lack for comfort, I longed to return home, but Jacob simply was not well enough to take a transatlantic flight, followed by an transcontinental one. And so I sat by his side, my family scattered about several floors in this hotel, waiting for him to awaken.

 

As I watched the marks from Caius' lash beginning to disappear and the pallor of his flesh begin to restore itself to the rich tan color I loved so much, I distracted myself by listening to Leah comfort my son in the room adjacent to ours. Anthony was as happy to reunite with her as he had been with us — perhaps more so. Instead of feeling dejection at that, I rejoiced in it. Leah would never have been my choice for my son's mate before the imprint, but since then, she had changed her demeanor drastically, at least when dealing with Anthony. It was more than obvious that she loved him and I felt confident that he would have a happy life with her.

 

My contemplation was interrupted by the scent of Carlisle approaching. He was coming to check on Jacob. When we first arrived at the hotel and he was tending to Jacob’s wounds, his mind had been a jumbled mess, thinking about all he had nearly lost and all he'd unwittingly gained. Now that he had reunited with Esme in much the same way as I waited to reunite with my own mate, Carlisle was more able to focus on his new-found role in vampire-kind. Currently, he wasn't sure he was up to the task.

 

A knock on the door needlessly signaled his arrival. Carlisle wondered if we were decent while thinking of himself and Esme in a most intimate fashion. I bid him entry in a quiet murmur, unwilling to disturb my mate too much.

 

When he walked in, I said, "First, I beg you not to think of your reunion around me again."

 

Carlisle chuckled and apologized to me in his mind.

 

I continued, "Of course we are decent. He hasn't woken up yet. What the heck did you give him anyway?"

 

Carlisle chuckled again at my surly attitude.

 

_Boy needs to get laid._

 

"Carlisle!" I gasped in mock horror. "How uncharacteristically crude of you."

 

We laughed in good-nature before Carlisle turned his attention to Jacob. "He looks much better, Edward. His complexion is ruddier and his heart rate is strong — I'm certain he will wake up soon. He's not completely out of the woods —" he glanced at the nearly empty IV bag "— but he is recovering quite well, and very quickly."

 

Of course, I knew that already, having been medically trained myself, but it was comforting to hear him say so nonetheless.

 

"Thank you, Carlisle, for taking care of him. I know how overwhelmed you are."

 

 _Anything for you, my son._ "It's important to me that my family is well."

 

With that, he turned to leave, no doubt to go back to Esme. As he placed his hand on the knob, the immense weight of his new burden crashed down around him. Seeking to reassure my father, I followed him out into the deserted hallway.

 

Placing a hand on his shoulder, I whispered, "You'll be great, Carlisle. You are exactly the person our kind needs to lead us."

 

He gave a heavy sigh. "I don't know where to begin…" _Never wanted this._

 

"Maybe not, but it's yours now. And we'll figure it out — together. You have all of us. We would do anything for you. With me, Alice and Jasper — not to mention a whole other species behind you — we'll make it work."

 

The turmoil in Carlisle's mind seemed to settle somewhat with my reassurance. He pulled me into a tight hug, the strength of which would've crushed a human.

 

_Thank you, Edward. I love you._

 

"You too."

 

I watched him walk down the hall at a human’s pace to the stairwell, where he would no doubt use vampire speed to get back to his mate. Carlisle was right to be nervous; a lot of vampires would be looking to him now for guidance. And how would a pacifist such as Carlisle mete out punishments? There were a lot of questions, but we would deal with them when we returned home to Washington.

 

I re-entered the room silently, only to find Jacob leaning up on one arm, looking at me—a little bleary-eyed, but awake.

 

"You're up. How are you feeling?" I asked as I approached the bed. I sank down on it carefully so as not to jostle him too much.

 

"Kind of sore and out of sorts, but I'm healing fast — I can feel it." _Benefits of being a shifter._

 

"I'm happy to hear it."

 

“Can I take this thing out?” he asked, indicating the IV tube in his forearm.

 

“I think it should be fine.” I leaned over and removed the tape holding it in place. He winced as I slid it out of his skin, and I watched as the puncture wound rapidly closed. His healing ability was indeed regaining itself quickly.

 

Gingerly, I wrapped an arm around his shoulders. He leaned into me, resting his cheek on my clothed chest. The heat of his flesh burned through the material, and it fed the flame of my desire to re-solidify our bond. I quickly fought the urge down, however — he couldn't be ready for that kind of exertion yet. We were silent for a while, me absently stroking his inky black hair, and Jacob's mind was virtually devoid of thought, save for his enjoyment of my touch.

 

Soon, a different thought slipped through.

 

_I didn't think I'd see you again._

 

I lifted his chin up so we could look at each other. "I would never have left you there. No matter where you are, I will always come for you."

 

"I know. That's not what I meant."

 

_I thought I might die before you could get there._

 

He continued aloud, "At the hands of that sadistic leech."

 

Flashes of the various tortures my love had endured flickered through his mind. A cross between a whimper and a growl escaped me before I could suppress it.

 

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry." _Shouldn't think about it. Nothing he can do now._

 

"You have nothing to be sorry for, but I do wish he were still alive so I could tear him apart exceedingly slowly."

 

Jacob chuckled. "Thank you. It means a lot to me."

 

He stretched up to press his lips to mine. As fire met ice, the desire to mate flared up again.

 

This time, I did not attempt to tamp it down. Jacob’s tongue snaked its way into my eager mouth and his mind went red with his equally fervent need. We reacquainted ourselves with the taste of one another, our tongues massaging against the other. My hand cupped his jaw and my thumb traced circles against his light stubble. His hands made quick work of my shirt, and were soon raking across my chest, abs and flanks. My body was aflame with desire for him. There was nothing I wanted more than to mate with him.

 

"Edward…" he moaned out, his voice faltering, but his thoughts continued. _I want you to fuck me._

 

Stunned, I pulled back and looked into his eyes, which were hooded and black with desire.

 

"I don't want to hurt you," I whispered. "You've been through so much."

 

 _You won't. You'll take care of me._ "Please, Edward, it's been so long. I need to feel you, all of you."

 

He was right, it had been a very long time since I'd taken him last. I could hardly remember when. It was several years ago at this point, before he had first gone into heat and impregnated me with Anthony. Since then, we had simply never gone back.

 

I didn’t mind, I loved receiving. It was the only time I could ever really let myself go, drop all attempts at propriety, even lose my ability to hear any other minds but Jacob’s. I, who was always in control of myself; in bed with Jacob, he took control and guided us in whatever we would do when we had sex. It's not that I was innocent about activities we could try; I'd seen plenty in a billion different minds. But Jacob being in charge was very freeing for me, and I could only allow myself to be that way was because Jacob did the same with me. He let down his guard and chucked embarrassment at the door. Every response to me was genuine. I trusted him completely.

 

Nerves gripped my insides to mix with the lust already there, mingling in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t deny the excitement I felt at the thought of feeling his heat wrapped around me in the most intimate of ways, but I was seriously out of practice, and I feared that, in his weakened state, I would only bring him more pain, and not the pleasure he was hoping for.

 

"Are you sure, Jacob?" I asked hesitantly.

 

_Never been so sure about anything._

 

He gripped the button on my trousers, and pulled my face down to meet his, crushing his lips to mine. I vowed not to get too carried away, to be sure he was fully prepared for me before I allowed myself to be swept up in his desperate kiss. He opened the fly and slid his hand under my boxers while he attacked my neck with his lips. It felt so good: his hand wrapped around my dick, his tongue dancing over that spot on my collarbone. I thought I might die of sensation.

 

Suddenly, he pulled away. I whined when he moved, and he smiled at me as he laid in the center of the king-sized bed.

 

“Get over here.”

 

He leaned against the headboard with a mound of pillows propping him up as I stepped out of the rest of my clothes and crawled over to him, straddling his thighs.

 

_Lean back, Edward. I want to see you... All of you. Stroke yourself for me._

 

I did as he asked—even though he only spoke it in his mind—taking the base of my aching cock in one hand while leaning my weight on the other hand behind me. I saw myself in Jacob's mind, body arched back, knees spread wide, hand squeezing my dick so hard the head turned purple. I moaned loudly at the image and threw my head back, stroking myself hard and fast without loosening my grip.

 

“Nggh.” _Fuck! So beautiful. Fuck... Can't take it!_

 

I opened my eyes to watch him swiftly push the waistband of Emmett's sweatpants below his cock and balls, squeezing his generous length with one hand and fondling his full sac with the other. He fucked his fist as he watched me pull off, biting his lip. I moaned out his name and a pearl of precum emerged from the tip of his cock.

 

 _Fuck, Edward, you're so hot._ _**Need** _ _you._

 

He shimmied out of the pants the rest of the way, placing his feet flat on the bed and spreading his knees wide to display his world to me.

 

Groaning deeply, I lowered my face to his puckered flesh, stroking myself even more firmly. Jacob lifted his balls out of the way, expecting my finger to breach him. Deciding to surprise him, I let go of my dick and cupped his cheeks in my hands, lifting him slightly from the bed before sliding the flat of my cold, wet tongue from the top of his divide to the underside of his sack. He let out a keening wail and grabbed fistfuls of my hair, tugging at the roots as I fucked him with my tongue.

 

I could almost sense the shock waves traveling through his system until they materialized as little bursts of jumbled curse words in his mind. His lips couldn’t form intelligible words—he was breathless with pleasure—but his mind was screaming that he was ready for me. Still, I took my time preparing him with my fingers, making sure he was stretched enough, as it had been several years since I’d been inside him. It didn’t take long for his voice to catch up to his brain, and he was begging me to fill him up. His words made me so hard, it hurt. Finally, I felt confident he could accommodate me and I withdrew my fingers from him, earning a grunt of discontent.

 

Not having lube, I coated myself with a copious amount of my venom until I was nice and slick, concentrating hard not to come by my own hand. Jacob was spread out so beautifully and eagerly before me; it was difficult not to lose focus on the ultimate goal.

 

Hooking my arms under his knees, I bent him in half and I hovered over him, positioning myself at his entrance. With an "I love you" a ghost on my lips, I slid the head of my cock inside his tight, hot channel, gasping at the incredible, _tight_ feel of him that I hadn’t realized I missed so much. His mind colored with pain and I stilled my hips with a lot of effort.

 

“Are you okay?” I asked breathlessly.

 

He nodded and whispered in a shaky voice, “Yeah, just give me a sec.” _You feel so good. Just not used to it._

 

After a few steadying breaths, his thoughts willed me to sink further inside him, and so I did, slowly filling him until I was buried to the hilt. His intense heat encasing my cool cock was too much sensation, and I dropped my head to his shoulder, trying to think unsexy thoughts so I wouldn’t lose control of myself before we’d even begun. Jake’s entrance was stinging with the stretch, so he appreciated my stillness, but only for a few moments.

 

“Please, Edward, move,” he gasped. “I need you.”

 

It was because he had said the words aloud that sparked the beast in me, and I set to reclaiming my mate, slow thrusts becoming faster with each stroke. Jacob’s hands scrabbled against my back and his back arched with each thrust, taking me impossibly deeper inside. Changing my angle slightly, I brushed against his spot, making him scream out in pleasure. His legs gripped my flanks tightly, and his hands buried themselves in my hair, drawing me back to his lips.

 

We were locked in a ferocious kiss that felt endless as my hips pistoned back and forth with vampiric speed. We grunted and moaned, our fear of losing one another making us more uninhibited.

 

Jacob’s mind took on a red overtone as his pleasure grew to be too much.

 

“Oh, God, Edward!” _I fuckin’ love you._

 

His hot seed spurted out onto my abdomen and chest as he howled out his pleasure, once, twice, three times. His inner muscles clenched around me as he rode out his intense orgasm, and it pushed me over the edge to join him in ecstasy. I fought hard not to bite him, the inner struggle making my orgasm even more intense.

 

I was careful not to collapse too heavily upon him as my orgasm ebbed, falling slightly to the side. Jacob hooked one leg around mine to keep our connection as long as possible, wrapping his arms around me tightly, holding me to him like a life preserver. I held him almost as tightly, careful not to upset his injuries too much. I felt much the same way as he did. We had come too close to losing each other. Now, the threat was gone, but the fear lingered, and we remained in our close embrace long after Jacob fell asleep, late into the next morning.

 

I didn't expect the effects of the last few weeks to disappear in an instant, but I hoped that things would normalize again once a we were home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be an epilogue posted before New Year’s Day. Let’s give a big hand to my husband for buying me Dragon Naturally Speaking software for Christmas, without which, who knows when I would’ve had the chance to get this done! Of course, it refuses to recognize the words “fuck” and “Esme”...
> 
> I’d love to hear your thoughts as the story winds down! Please leave a review. I’d love to know what you think. Thank you for continuing to read!


	16. Epilogue

**A Clash of Covens**

 

**Epilogue: New Beginning**

 

 **A/N:** Unbeta’d. Long note at the end.

 

**Ten years later**

 

**Jacob POV**

 

“Later, Helmy!” I called over my shoulder, wiping my greasy hands on my jeans as I left the lab for the day.

 

Wilhelm’s brow creased with annoyance. “Please don't call me that.”

 

“Sure, sure,” I replied with a smirk.

 

I left Wilhelm to his work and walked across the vast compound, heading for the cottage I shared with my husband. Carlisle had set up his kingdom in a largely uninhabited part of Oregon, which was great because the vampires could walk about in the sun without worry and I could run and see the pack whenever I wanted since we didn’t live too far from Forks. As I strolled, enjoying the warm sun on my skin, I reflected on how much things had changed since our time in Volterra a decade ago.

 

Carlisle was a strong leader in the vampire world, respected by all. He mitigated disagreements and came to fair compromises when there were disputes over territory and the like. He never pushed his lifestyle choice on any of the vampires in his kingdom, though many had converted to drinking animal blood to show their solidarity. The population was split almost evenly between human and animal drinkers, and surprisingly, they were able to live in peace.

 

The remaining Volturi guard disbursed after the fire Marcus set. They wanted nothing to do with Carlisle, but they didn’t cause any trouble in the realm either, so Carlisle just let them be. However, Wilhelm and Roberto, having never lived beyond the Volterra castle walls, had no experience living on their own. It wasn't long before they both sought Carlisle's help and he taught them the vegetarian diet. Roberto found his mate in Tanya, while Wilhelm continued on to work under Carlisle.

 

We all had roles in Carlisle's court. Most were obvious. Edward, Jasper and Alice were Carlisle’s right-hand people, of course. They helped him immensely with their abilities, which was to be expected. Emmett was Carlisle’s bodyguard, not that he really needed one. Esme was the revered queen of the vampires, showing compassion and care to one and all. Rose and I were his mechanics. Today I had tuned up some lab equipment for Wil's project: synthesized human blood. Carlisle had grand plans to stop the killing of humans once and for all and make the human-drinking vampires in his charge content as well. Wil was getting close to the proper formula; after trying the latest batch, the testers’ thirst was almost completely satisfied.

 

Reaching the edge of the compound, I strolled down the well-worn path to the homes. Each mated pair had their own cottage, some distance apart from one another for privacy. Our cottage had an extra room, recently vacated since Anthony was grown. Happy as I was to have Edward all to myself again, I couldn’t help but feel a little pang of emptiness. Anthony had moved out two years ago, but I just couldn’t get used to how quiet things were now that he was gone.

 

Leah was pregnant. In a few months, I’d be a grandpa. While I was undeniably excited to have a new puppy to dote on, I missed the pitter-patter of little feet running through my own home. What can I say? I’m a pack animal—I should be having litters of babies. Being in heat again only made that desire stronger. I went into heat once a year. Usually, I was able to be rational about things and remember what Edward went through to have Anthony, so I kept the notion of more puppies locked away in the recesses of my mind, never mentioning it to him. But ever since Anthony’s wedding and subsequent move to his own house with Leah, I’d been feeling the urge all the more. And with their new baby on the way, my own desire to procreate was growing unbearable.

 

Edward was starting to feel wistful too, I could tell. Sometimes he would just stand in the doorway to Anthony’s empty room, staring with a lost look in his eye. It was a loneliness I couldn’t fill, but I certainly related to. But there _was_ a way I could fill that emptiness…if he would let me.

 

I could hear Alice and Jasper going at it as I passed their cottage. Jasper was projecting, and a shot of arousal coursed through me. Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to get back to the cottage and ravage my mate. We knew the signs of my heat by now after so many years and always used condoms for the duration, but maybe this time would be different. Maybe Edward would finally agree to be a new parent all over again.

 

I ran the rest of the way to our cottage, which was pretty difficult with the growing log in my shorts. I curbed my thoughts of babies for now, but made no attempt to disguise my need to fuck Edward in the hopes he’d be ready and waiting for me.

 

Barely remembering to close the front door behind me, I followed my mate’s scent to our bedroom to find him stretched out on the bed, naked, hard and beckoning for me. My thoughts must have really got him going, because he was already leaking, his pale hand wrapped around his burgeoning length, stroking languidly.

 

With a rumble ripping from my chest, I swiftly stepped out of my shorts and pounced on top of him, our lips meeting in a searing kiss. My lust was so strong I didn’t want to waste time with much foreplay—I needed to be buried inside my Edward. He groaned at my thought and I slithered down his body. Bending one of his legs at the knee, I ducked down to coat his balls and lap at his fluttering entrance.

 

“Oh, God. Fuck, Jake!” 

 

How I loved when Edward cursed in bed. He rarely used profanity outside of the bedroom unless he was really angry or annoyed. But with me breaking down his proper facade, the words tumbled easily from his lips, and it was such a huge turn-on. I ran my tongue up my mate’s body, holding eye contact along the way. Edward’s eyes were hooded, black as night. When I reached the center of his chest, Edward reached for the bedside table to retrieve a condom.

 

“Wait.”

 

Edward paused, his eyebrow raised in question.

 

_Let’s make another one._

 

“Pardon?” he asked incredulously.

 

“A little brother or sister for Anthony. Don’t you miss having a child around here?” _I know you do. Please say yes._

 

Edward hesitated, no doubt weighing the pros and cons in his mind. He worried his lower lip between his teeth, his brow creasing with concentration, his eyes closed off to me. After a few of the longest moments of my life, he opened them and met my hopeful gaze.

 

“You really want to start all over again?” he asked softly.

 

“I do. I love you.”

 

Edward smiled my favorite crooked grin of his and threaded his hands through my hair, pulling my face up to his. His lips were a hair’s breadth away from mine when he whispered, “Let’s make a baby.”

 

My wolf howled with joy, and the tendrils of my heat exploded through every nerve ending. He wanted my seed. He would carry another child for me.

 

A surge of blood rushed into my cock, impossibly hard and ready to impregnate. Edward coated his palm with his venom and reached down to slick me with it, careful not to rub me too much—I was already stimulated to the point of cumming. Then he wrapped his legs around my hips, effectively positioning the head of my dick at his entrance. Our eyes never wavered and we stared into each other’s very souls as I pressed forward and we became one.

 

Edward broke eye contact when I was in to the hilt, his head falling back as a long moan escaped him. “Jesus...”

 

I groaned at Edward’s reaction and slowly started to move in and out, making sweet love to him, driving him crazy wanting more.

 

“Please, Jake,” Edward begged, scratching at my back. “Fuck me harder.”

 

My mind went fuzzy. It was such an overwhelming turn on to hear Edward say that, and in such a desperate tone. Desperate and needy for my cock.

 

Edward moaned. “Yes, I need it. It’s been so long since I’ve felt you inside me like this, skin to skin.”

 

That was all the encouragement I needed to pick up the pace. My wolf demanded it, as Edward did. I pounded away, grunting with each hard thrust. Edward fell apart in my arms, going limp under the immense pleasure of my cock brushing against his spot so frequently, so rapidly. Our foreheads connected and we leaned into each other, panting and moaning at the shared sensations. Edward’s head moved to my shoulder, his cool lips pressing kisses to the heated flesh of my neck. My cock jerked inside of him as my wolf reveled in the wintry feel of his lips, and suddenly, I was overcome with the desire to share my life with him.

 

“Bite me,” I whispered with conviction.

 

Edward’s head jerked back from my neck to look me in the eye. “What? Really?” he asked, breathless.

 

I tilted my head to the side, baring my jugular to him. _Bite me_ , I demanded in my mind.

 

It was rare that I offered my blood to him, so it was no surprise when his teeth sank into the corded muscle without hesitation. I forgot how sharp his teeth were, and yelped in pain. But then Edward sealed his lips around the wound and started to pull, and his ass muscles clenched tightly with every swallow, his hips undulating sensually. Overcome with sensation, my eyes closed as I shared my life with my mate, bucking my hips to meet my vampire’s. My hands ran over Edward’s body, memorizing every angle and curve like it was the first time, until they landed on that tight, pert little ass.

 

Grabbing a handful of each perfect cheek, I parted and closed them to the sensual rhythm Edward had set with his mouth. Edward groaned and detached from my neck after a few more pulls, and I peered at him through half-closed eyes as he watched the wound knit itself back together. Strengthened by blood, and me weakened by the loss of it, Edward rolled us over so that he was on top and took control of our orgasms as I looked on in a blissful haze.

 

Edward’s body was almost blurry with the speed at which he bounced up and down my length. His hand was manipulating his own dick, and that really was a blur, he was going so fast. Edward came hard, his back arching as his warm release—the only thing warm about him— splashed on my abdomen, more fantastic profanities falling from his lips. Snapping out of my blissed out haze, I flipped my panting mate onto his back and pummeled his ass hard and fast, chasing my own orgasm. I grabbed Edward by the hair and bared his neck, biting him back with the force of my eruption.

I collapsed on top of my vampire in exhaustion, but my wolf wasn’t yet satisfied. As he lay beside me recovering, my wolf demanded more. My heat made me do crazy things. Right now it was compelling me to taste my essence within him. Turning my mate onto his stomach, I grabbed his ass cheek and kneaded it roughly.

 

_This ass is so sweet. I need to taste it._

 

Lowering my face between his legs, I lapped at my cum as it seeped from him.

 

“Fuck…” Edward whined, as I dipped my tongue inside his used hole, sweeping it around to collect what I could of myself. Edward bucked and writhed against the mattress, crying out as I cleaned him with my tongue. I felt his balls tighten beneath my chin, and then he was cumming again, his body clenching around my probing tongue.  When he was spent, I kept on going, licking his quivering ring as he squirmed under my continued attention.

 

“Oh god, stop, please... it’s too much,” he whimpered.

 

_Sorry, baby, I just can’t help myself with you._

 

With one more flick of my hot, wet muscle, I moved away and lay on my back beside him. He quickly molded himself against my side, draping a leg over me, holding me prisoner with the weight of his stone thigh. I threaded the fingers through those of his hand which rested on my chest, lightly tracing patterns on his back with my other hand.

 

Burying my face in his crazy hair, I inhaled his post-sex scent deeply and whispered, _“_ I love you so much, baby. I worship you. I’d do anything for you, you know that, right?”

 

“I do,” he whispered in return, kissing the place below my sternum.

 

 

We lay like that for a time, just enjoying the closeness and the silence. I would usually have fallen asleep by this time, but I couldn’t get the idea that Edward may already be carrying our child.

 

_Do you think it worked?_

 

Edward chuckled lightly. “I don’t know yet, but I bet it did. You seem to have super sperm." He turned his face up to look at mine and graced me with his crooked smile.

 

“Are you ready for this, Edward? A new life, created by our love?”

 

“Yes, Jacob. I think I am. I love you.”

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, there you have it, folks. This is the end of the line for these two. I couldn’t let them go without a little more smut :) It is unlikely that I’ll be writing a follow-up. Time in real life just doesn’t allow. I hope you enjoyed this sequel, and I thank you for sticking with me for the year and a half it took to complete it. Thank you to harrytwifan and remylebeauishot for holding my hand through the majority of this story. Thank you also to everyone who favorited and followed and wrote wonderful, encouraging reviews along the way.
> 
>  
> 
> I’ll be taking a step back from writing for a while. Cast Aside will still be updated at irregular intervals, but when I return fully, it will likely be with all human stories. I think the audience for vampire/wolf fics is slowly dying out. If I’m wrong about that, please let me know. I know I still personally enjoy reading them, but I’m not sure if there are many of you still out there.
> 
>  
> 
> Please let me know what you thought of the series as a whole; reviews make the struggle to find time to write worth it!
> 
>  
> 
> Until next time...


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